Chicago Storm

It's cold, but nothing really record breaking. So fairly zzzzz overall.

Dusted Saturday evening/night around here, with a few tenths of snowfall accumulation. 0.2” at ORD, T at MDW, and 0.5” at RFD.

Just heard one of those frost quakes/cryoseisms a bit ago. .

sucks 2 b u.

Should be able to kick out 0.5" to 2" area wide.

Final storm snowfall totals…ORD - 6.9”MDW - 5.8”RFD - 7.3”

Backsides snows moving through the area tonight. It won’t last all that long, but down to 1/2SM with SN here at home. .

For MLI this already ranks in the top 10 in terms of biggest snowfalls on record, right around the edge of the top 5 currently.

MLI is up to 14.7” and DVN is up to 13.6” as of 6PM. .

The lake had nothing to do with the track of either storm system. The lake is also not the main reason for the warm intrusion with each storm system either, that's more-so a storm track issue and a lack of antecedent quality cold air issue. Yes, the lake is making things worse in the metro/NE Illinois, but for both storm systems temperatures have even gotten into the mid-30's across much of N Illinois/S Wisconsin...and E Iowa with the first one earlier in the week.

One big difference in the evolution of this storm system that we are seeing is how the double-barrel SLP/inverted trough feature has played out. Most guidance, as recently as the 0z runs last evening, had the southern SLP becoming dominated as things transitioned across Illinois and Indiana. Instead, we have seen the northern SLP be the dominant one, thus leading to everything having been shifted a bit north so far out this way. As we continue on, it does look like the transition to a most eastern dominant SLP will occur as things continue up into Michigan.

Snowfall totals as of noon… ORD - 4.4” MDW - 5.3” RFD - 4.9” .

That and just looking at current analysis data as well. Not looking good… .

If you’re in NE Illinois or the metro, I would have concerns about a last minute shift north and that the front end thump was the main show…

KORD 121351Z 10024G48KT 1/2SM R10L/3000V3500FT SN FG OVC005 01/00 A2949 RMK AO2 PK WND 09048/1342 SLP991 SNINCR 1/5 P0005 T00060000 .

Some sort of gravity wave type of feature has moved across the metro/NE Illinois, with a brief, but sharp increase in winds. ORD gusted to 55MPH. .

This front end thump has definitely not been of lower ratio. Probably 10:1 ratio, if not a bit higher potentially, as it is blowing around fairly easily. .

Yea, they got it all. .

Stacking at ORD… KORD 121251Z 08018G26KT 1/2SM R10L/3500V5000FT SN FG VV004 00/M01 A2962 RMK AO2 PK WND 07028/1237 PRESFR SLP036 SNINCR 2/4 P0012 T00001006 .

There has been a ton of TSSN south of I-80 the past few hours. .

0z Euro back SE once again. Turning into just an average piece of guidance these days

Give it time...

as it always has been.

It is indeed SE.

This trough feature extending from the main SLP is an interesting development that we've seen gain traction over the past 12-24 hours. It can enhance precip/snowfall. Folks in the Northeast see significant versions, Norlun troughs, that sort of do the same.