Check this out---Judy Walavich of Lake Forest shares this shot of an ice formation along
Lake Michigan there. Judy points out?and we agree with her---that it looks like the head
of a dog! Great shot---THANKS Judy!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy of Judy Walavich, Lake Forest, Illinois

Ron Laird, a pilot with Cathay Airlines and who lives in Aurora, Illinois, sends us this
picture of the hoar frost coating the trees in the midst of a bitter cold spell which has
gripped Alaska in recent weeks. Temperatures there remained below zero for six
consecutive days?that city?s longest sub-zero spell in ten years according to the
National Weather Service there. Ron, who tells us his work takes him to Anchorage five
to six days a month, snapped this photo around 10 am Alaska time Sunday morning out
the window of the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Anchorage. The view is looking south at
a cemetery across East 5th Street with the Chugach Mountains visible to the far left.
MANY THANKS, Ron, for sharing this with us! It?s quite spectacular! Stay warm!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy of Ron Laird

A period of light snow targets the Chicago area late Tuesday and Tuesday night,
threatening the first modest accumulations here in over a week. The ground's been free
of a 1-inch or greater snow cover for 11 days despite a seasonal snow total to date of
22.5 inches?an amount that is 176 percent of the "normal" tally and above last year?s
18.7 inches to date. At least an inch of snow has been on the ground 22 days this
cold season?ahead of average of 14 days through Jan. 6 over the past 15 years but
behind last years 26 days. The figure falls far short of the 41 days with 1 inch or more
of snow on the ground by this date in the record 1978-79 snow season. The brunt of
Tuesday?s storm will pass to the south and east of Chicago, with 15 states under some
form of winter weather advisory.

SEASONAL SNOW TOPS 120 INCHES ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN--AND MORE COMING
Low pressure systems will produce almost continuous snowfall the later half of the
week. Several inches of new snow will add to already enormous seasonal tallies.

--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune