CURRENT U.S. SNOWPACK 42.4%—THE GREATEST FOR MARCH 13TH SINCE AT LEAST 2003

Recent March 13 U.S. snow cover

PALTRY MARCH 2023 SUNSHINE

Percentage of possible sunshine

March 10 through 13 — four straight days with no sun—longest March sunless streak since 1989

  • Snowfall coated the area again today—the 5th consecutive day to put measurable snow on the books officially in the city. 0.2” fell at O’Hare and 0.3” at Midway—though we had local reports of up to an inch of snow in spots.
  • Monday marks the 4th consecutive day with NO OFFICIAL SUNSHINE. Frank Wachowski reports that last time a March recorded four straight days without sun was in 1989.
  • And there’s further evidence the same parade of storms which has lambasted the California is having an impact on Midwest weather is the lack of sun this month and the elevated precip tallies here. March has produced only 30% of its possible sun. A typical March produces 48%. So at least to date, Chicago has seen less than 2/3’s its typical March sunshine.
  • And 2023’s 7.58” of water equivalent precip dwarfs the 4.89” which is normal to date. In fact, it’s 155% (more than one an a half times normal).
  • Happily, clouds are due to break later tonight and sunshine stages a welcome comeback Tuesday. It won’t have an immediate effect on taps which are to average more than 11-deg below normal—not only today (Monday)—but Tuesday as well.
  • But the storm currently sweeping California—the 11th atmospheric river storm to hit that state since Dec 22nd—is to jump the Rockies and head this way later this week. It’s southerly winds will move into the Chicago area Wednesday sends mid-week temps 14-deg high Wed than Tuesday and within striking distance of 50-degrees.
  • Temps surge into the 50s Thursday into the wee hours of Friday morning as the storm’s wind driven rains move into the area. The potential exists we’ll see isolated thunder with the downpours in the Thursday/Thursday night time frame.
  • A classic high wind set up rushes MUCH COLDER air into the area Friday with falling temps. Readings, which start in the 50s will have dropped into the upper 20s or low 30s by nightfall—and wind gusts topping 40 mph may approach 50 mph Friday as the temp plunge occurs.
  • The chill on the storm’s backside returns 30s to the area for the coming weekend and may even lead to some snow showers/flurries Saturday.

UNSEASONABLY CHILLY OPEN TO THE WEEK FOR NATION’S MID-SECTION

Monday’s high temperatures and how much below normal?

METEOROLOGICAL SITUATION IN CALIFORNIA WHICH IS MOVING FROM BAD TO WORSE

Snowpacks have already exceeded all-time records in a large swath of the state, reports Dr. Daniel Swain, UCLA Climate Research

  • Another “Pineapple Express” and “Atmospheric River” precipitation siege is coming — potentially MORE POWERFUL than the last
  • Dr. Swain—in a tweet Sunday afternoon—noted: “As of this weekend, the Southern Sierra now appears to have the largest snowpack in recorded history (as measured by snow-water equivalent)”
  • Mammoth “atmospheric river”: a deep stream of moisture originating west of Hawaii and sweeping well over 3,000 miles of the Pacific and ominously aimed at California
  • Evacuation orders have been issued as a result of already serious flooding
  • This same storm system will be impacting the Midwest including Chicago later this week
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