Not much snow so far, and a warm start to January
The 4.7-nches of snow recorded so far (January 17) this winter season at Chicago’s official O’Hare International Airport observing site is tied for the 8th-least snowfall in records dating back to 1884 and the second least since 1944
Synopsis of Monday/early Tuesday storm system
Chicago area main impact was widespread rains
- Low pressure tracked NE from Kansas through Iowa and central Wisconsin into northern Upper Michigan
- Widespread quarter-inch or less rainfall (pockets of greater amounts) south of the storm track
- Band of generally light snow (mostly a range of 1 to 3-inches) north of the storm track
Center of low pressure moves ENE out of Kansas across northern Missouri/northern Illinois across southern Lower Michigan
Another low pressure system will be approaching rapidly from the SW Wednesday – the leading edge of rain will spread into our area late afternoon. With low pressure passing overnight, rain will continue area-wide – rain could be mixed with some wet snow in northern sections closer to the Illinois/Wisconsin state line.
- Band of heavy wet accumulating snow lays out north of the low pressure track with a foot or more possible in NE Colorado across Nebraska and northern Iowa/southern Minnesota 4 to 8-inches NE Iowa across Wisconsin into Michigan.
- Wide band of rain from the Gulf of Mexico north up the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys.
- Severe storms possible Wednesday over portions of E Texas, much of Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Alabama.
- Out West, the last in series of low pressure systems riding the currently expiring “Atmospheric River” will hit northern/Eastern California with heavy snows in higher elevations Wednesday/Wednesday night.
15 STATES FROM THE ROCKIES INTO WISCONSIN AND MICHIGAN’S U.P. UNDER ALERT FOR THE NEXT WINTER STORM SYSTEM
FAR COLDER PATTERN ARRIVES NEXT WEEK ENDING NEAR MONTH LONG STREAK OF ABOVE NORMAL DAYS
FULL DAY TEMPERATURE DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL
