Chicago Storm

Barely eek-ed out a W.

70 seems like a stretch today. Edit: Both out your way and out this way.

Snowfall totals of 0.2” ORD, 0.9” RFD and 0.7” at home last night/this morning.

Better get used to it, cause sustained deep spring conditions aren’t happening any time soon.

As mentioned above, our next change is on tap for this week. A deeper trough is expected to move through the Western and Central US. This is still expected to bring a push of warmer temps to the Central/Eastern US and some severe potential to the Central US, later this week on into this next weekend. The bad news is this pattern adjustment is part of a much larger overall shift, one that will bring back continued troughing to the Midwest/Great Lakes/Northeast starting early next week (Final week of April)…and will likely continue as we flip the calendar into May. This will be the second time this spring that we’ve seen a notable -NAO, after not having one almost the whole winter. For those looking for sustained deep spring-like warmth and severe chances, it still isn’t happening any time soon.

Precip started as snow here at home about 30 minutes ago, and is coming down at a pretty good clip currently.

A dusting to 2” on tap for the area tonight/early tomorrow morning.

No slack given. If you’re not up to the challenge, you shouldn’t be broadcasting.

Region 8 is calling a shelf cloud a wall cloud right now. Toss anything they’re saying.

Have yet to see any visual evidence of this apparent tornado. No CC sig on the storm either. To me it looks like a significant RFD push, with big damaging wind/hail and maybe a brief spin-up.

Peak wind gusts today of 59MPH at ORD and MDW, and 54MPH at RFD.

Looking like a solid period with wind gusts up to 50-60MPH today across the area.

As expected the next pattern shift is in the process of occurring now, which will favor regular storm systems/troughs moving across the region and a quick flip back to cooler than normal temps overall once again. This pattern will be in place from now, through the middle of next week. ENS are showing another change come later next week, with the introduction of a deeper trough into the West being possible, which would then translate east. This next period starting mid to especially late next week and into next weekend (Weekend of 23rd/24th) will be the next time to watch for another warm up and more organized bout of severe weather across the Central/Eastern US.

Severe t'storm warning for portions of the metro, including here at home. Peak wind gusts of 50-55MPH here with this activity.

Should note that the HRRR has done a great job the past two days, even from at it's longer ranges.

Looking like any good threat across IL today will be limited to along and south of I-70. Should be more marginal to slight worthy at best across C and N IL.

A bit messy is an understatement. It’s pretty much NAM’s vs all right now.

If I were in Green Bay/C WI, then I'd be concerned about WF positioning.

The biggest issue for Wednesday is what happens with a lead wave ejecting out from MX/TX, and how quickly the associated debris clouds/showers moves across the Mid-Mississippi Valley/Ohio Valley.

There are countless events that could be listed.

That’s not even close to being an issue in this case.

Experienced almost every precip type today... Rain/snow/snow pellets/ice pellets/graupel.

Grass has already greened up out here in the suburbs, with some trees/shrubs slowly starting to pop as well. Also, forgot to mention... Final snowfall totals of 0.1" ORD and 1.5" RFD with the first snow event last Thur/Fri (March 31-April 1st), and then 0.1" ORD and 1.7" RFD with the second snow event last Sat (April 2nd).

Haven't updated in a while... As was a possibility that was mentioned at the end of the above post, we did end up with a pattern change as we moved from mid to late March, which is the same pattern everyone is currently enjoying. This pattern has been dominated by Greenland area ridging (-NAO) and a Aleutian/Gulf of Alaska low/trough(+WPO/+EPO). This has lead to the active and cool pattern we have been experiencing across much of the region, since the week of March 21st. Interestingly enough, this pattern has featured the first real -NAO we've seen since mid-December. Our next pattern flip is already in the process of occurring, and is one which many of you have already mentioned bringing warmer temp and severe weather opportunities for next week. This pattern will be driven by a large chunk of the Aleutian/GOA low migrating SE with a -PNA setting in, with push of Aleutian/GOA ridging (-WPO/-EPO) with developing for a time. This will lead to the active pattern next week, with the aforementioned warm temps and severe potential for a large portion of the Central/Eastern US for a several day period. However... It is looking increasingly likely that we'll see another pattern flip late next week and into next weekend (Easter Weekend). Solid support from ENS regarding this pattern change, with it looking like a +WPO/+EPO/+PNA pattern. This would support a large low/trough in the Aleutian/GOA area once again, along with a ridge around the Western US...and means that the mean trough would set up over the Lakes/Northeast once again. A wild card will be what happens with the NAO, which at this time appears to be trending neutral or a bit negative. All in all, enjoy the brief pattern flip with warmer/severe potential next week, cause it won't be sticking around yet.