Thursday rain ends February precipitation deficit; Weekend warmup, then two systems for next week — the second a potential snow producer. Historic southeast snowfall of February 1973

LOWEST SEASONAL SNOWFALL THROUGH FEBRUARY 9th

Since 1973, the 2022-2023 snow season is the 5th least snowy start to a season

IS A SIGNIFICANT SNOW IN STORE FOR CHICAGO BEFORE THE WINTER ENDS?

Chicago’s highest one-day snowfalls on or after February 10th

While snow has been lacking this season, significant snows have occurred as late as April in Chicago

CoCoRaHS rainfall totals

Wednesday night to early Thursday morning

While overnight and early Thursday rainfall totals approached 1″ in northeast Illinois, the 24 hour precipitation totals through early Thursday morning in extreme southern Illinois exceeded 3 inches

Temperature continues to trend above normal through mid February while precipitation trends toward above normal for Chicago after a dry first week of the month

SNOWFALL TOTALS

The system that brought rain to northeast Illinois produced some heavy snow amounts in Iowa and Wisconsin

RAINFALL TOTALS THROUGH 5 PM

Over an inch of rain was reported Thursday in NE Illinois

O’HARE PRECIPITATION 2/1 TO 5 PM 2/9

O’Hare February precip goes from nearly 1/2” below normal through Feb. 8th to almost 1/2” above normal with Thursday rainfall

FOLLOWING BRIEF CHILL FRIDAY, TEMPS SURGE WELL ABOVE NORMAL BY SUNDAY

Sunday afternoon high temperatures

How much above normal Sunday afternoon?

ACTIVE PATTERN RETURNS NEXT WEEK FOLLOWING A MILD, QUIET WEEKEND

First system arrives with rain later Tuesday

Second and stronger system Thursday could be rain/snow or both across the Metro area — will need to be monitored

FEBRUARY 9-11, 1973

On this date in weather history, one of the biggest snowstorms to ever impact the southeast United States occurred 50 years ago

  • —A cold front moved through the region bringing chilly air into the Southeastern U.S. February 8, 1973. The front moved off the Gulf Coast into the Gulf of Mexico and an area of low pressure began to develop along the stalled frontal boundary that night.
  • —The storm dropped 1-2 feet in a region that typically sees an inch or two total for an entire winter
  • —Winds spiraling around the developing low transported Gulf moisture northward up and over the cold air causing a mixture of sleet, snow and freezing rain.
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