If you are looking for fresh snow by Christmas morning or are curious about potential travel disruptions, the best chances for at least 1" of new snowfall early this week exist across the mountainous West, Great Lakes, and Northeast. Otherwise, temperatures this last full week of December will average above normal for much of the lower 48 states. Read More >
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The largest snowfall amounts across northwest Indiana and portions of Cook, Will, and Kankakee counties in northeast Illinois ranged from 8 to 12 inches but locally higher amounts of 14-17 inches also were reported. |
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
1033 AM CST THU FEB 25 2016
...MORNING SNOWFALL ROUNDUP...
THE FOLLOWING ARE SNOW AMOUNTS FOR THE PREVIOUS 24-HOURS.
OBSERVATIONS ARE USUALLY TAKEN AT 7 AM.
24-HOUR SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FOR THURSDAY(02/25/16)...
NORTHERN ILLINOIS SNOW
LOCATION (COUNTY): FALL(INCHES)
CRETE 3E (WILL)...............................9.1
LANSING (COOK)................................7.7
PEOTONE (WILL)................................6.2
PEOTONE (WILL)................................6.2
PARK FOREST 1SW (COOK)........................6.0
PARK FOREST (COOK)............................6.0
WATSEKA 6.9WNW (IROQUOIS).....................5.7
HOMEWOOD (COOK)...............................5.5
ST ANNE (KANKAKEE)............................3.8
CHATSWORTH (LIVINGSTON).......................3.0
CHATSWORTH (LIVINGSTON).......................3.0
PAXTON (FORD).................................3.0
KANKAKEE (KANKAKEE)...........................2.8
ASHKUM 5.6E (IROQUOIS)........................2.6
CHICAGO RIDGE (COOK)..........................2.5
MANHATTAN (WILL)..............................2.2
DWIGHT (LIVINGSTON)...........................2.0
NEW LENOX 2SE (WILL)..........................2.0
PONTIAC (LIVINGSTON)..........................2.0
WILLOW SPRINGS (COOK).........................2.0
NEW LENOX 3E (WILL)...........................1.9
MIDWAY COOP (COOK)............................1.9
FAIRBURY (LIVINGSTON).........................1.8
WORTH (COOK)..................................1.8
OHARE (COOK)..................................1.7
BOURBONNAIS (KANKAKEE)........................1.6
OAK LAWN (COOK)...............................1.4
OAK PARK 1NNE (COOK)..........................1.2
ELK GROVE VILLAGE 2WSW (COOK).................1.2
COUNTRYSIDE 1ENE (COOK).......................1.2
HOMER GLEN 1ENE (WILL)........................1.2
SCHAUMBURG 2E (COOK).........................1.1
ELK GROVE VILLAGE 1ESE (COOK).................1.1
LA GRANGE PARK 1SSW (COOK)....................1.1
PARK RIDGE (COOK).............................1.0
BONFIELD 4WSW (KANKAKEE)......................1.0
BURR RIDGE 2SW (DU PAGE)......................0.9
ELMHURST 1ESE (DU PAGE).......................0.8
ST. CHARLES (KANE)............................0.8
WESTMONT (DU PAGE)............................0.8
LISLE MORTON ARB (DU PAGE)....................0.7
PALATINE 1E (COOK)............................0.6
WINFIELD (DU PAGE)............................0.6
HOFFMAN ESTATES 5W (COOK).....................0.5
OAK PARK 2S (COOK)............................0.5
BOLINGBROOK 3NE (DU PAGE).....................0.5
LINCOLNSHIRE 1N (LAKE)........................0.5
JOLIET LOCK/DAM (WILL)........................0.5
MUNDELEIN (LAKE)..............................0.5
LINCOLNWOOD 2E (COOK).........................0.4
AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE)..........................0.4
NORTH AURORA 2NE (KANE).......................0.4
ELGIN 2W (KANE)...............................0.4
RIVERWOODS (LAKE).............................0.4
LAKE ZURICH (LAKE)............................0.4
BATAVIA (KANE)................................0.3
BOTANIC GARDENS (COOK)........................0.3
PARK RIDGE 1WNW (COOK)........................0.3
AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE)..........................0.3
PLAINFIELD 5SW (KENDALL)......................0.3
ELGIN (KANE)..................................0.2
HARWOOD HEIGHTS 2NNE (COOK)...................0.2
PLAINFIELD 2SSE (WILL)........................0.2
ROMEOVILLE (WILL).............................0.2
AURORA (KANE).................................0.1
LINCOLNWOOD 3E (COOK).........................0.1
DE KALB (DE KALB).............................0.1
LAKE VILLA 1SSW (LAKE)........................0.1
MUNDELEIN (LAKE)..............................0.1
LAKE VILLA 2WSW (LAKE)........................0.1
BELVIDERE (BOONE)...........................TRACE
COAL CITY 4NNW (GRUNDY).....................TRACE
DE KALB (DE KALB)...........................TRACE
ELGIN (KANE)................................TRACE
ELBURN (KANE)...............................TRACE
EARLVILLE 3S (LA SALLE).....................TRACE
GENOA (DE KALB).............................TRACE
ROGERS PARK 2SW (COOK)......................TRACE
CORTLAND (DE KALB)..........................TRACE
MALTA (DE KALB).............................TRACE
CARBON HILL 3.1N (GRUNDY)...................TRACE
BRACEVILLE (GRUNDY).........................TRACE
SUGAR GROVE 1NE (KANE)......................TRACE
ELGIN 1S (KANE).............................TRACE
BATAVIA 2WNW (KANE).........................TRACE
BATAVIA 1WNW (KANE).........................TRACE
ST. CHARLES 6NW (KANE)......................TRACE
GENEVA 1SSW (KANE)..........................TRACE
ELBURN (KANE)...............................TRACE
BEACH PARK 1W (LAKE)........................TRACE
WAUKEGAN 2N (LAKE)..........................TRACE
OTTAWA 1NW (LA SALLE).......................TRACE
OTTAWA 2N (LA SALLE)........................TRACE
STREATOR 4ENE (LA SALLE)....................TRACE
MENDOTA 2SE (LA SALLE)......................TRACE
BULL VALLEY 2WNW (MCHENRY)..................TRACE
ALGONQUIN 1N (MCHENRY)......................TRACE
CARY (MCHENRY)..............................TRACE
PLAINFIELD 1SW (WILL).......................TRACE
LOCKPORT 1SE (WILL).........................TRACE
ROSCOE 2ESE (WINNEBAGO).....................TRACE
MACHESNEY PARK 3ENE (WINNEBAGO).............TRACE
JOLIET 2N (WILL)............................TRACE
MCHENRY (MCHENRY)...........................TRACE
ROCHELLE (OGLE).............................TRACE
ROCKFORD (WINNEBAGO)........................TRACE
ROSCOE 2SE (WINNEBAGO)......................TRACE
YORKVILLE 2SE (KENDALL).....................TRACE
NORTHWEST INDIANA SNOW
LOCATION (COUNTY): FALL(INCHES)
HOBART 1NNW (LAKE)...........................15.5
LAKES OF THE FOUR SEASONS 2NNE (PORTER)......15.0
CROWN POINT 2WSW (LAKE)......................14.5
LOWELL (LAKE)................................13.3
VALPARAISO 6WSW (PORTER).....................13.0
CROWN POINT 1N (LAKE)........................12.5
(WV90)HOBART 1ENE (LAKE).....................12.0
PORTAGE 3E (PORTER)..........................12.0
VALPARAISO 1SE (PORTER)......................11.5
RENSSELAER 2SSW (JASPER).....................10.5
HEBRON 4NE (PORTER)..........................10.5
DE MOTTE 1NNW (JASPER).......................10.0
DE MOTTE 1SSW (JASPER)........................9.5
(W9MAL)MERRILLVILLE 2NNW (LAKE)...............8.5
REMINGTON (JASPER)............................8.1
PORTAGE 1ESE (PORTER).........................8.0
CHESTERTON 4E (PORTER)........................8.0
LAKE VILLAGE 7SE (NEWTON).....................8.0
RENSSELAER (JASPER)...........................8.0
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
745 PM CST THU FEB 25 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM SNOW VALPARAISO 41.48N 87.05W
02/25/2016 M11.7 INCH PORTER IN TRAINED SPOTTER
VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY.
0900 AM SNOW CEDAR LAKE 41.37N 87.44W
02/25/2016 E17.6 INCH LAKE IN PUBLIC
0900 AM SNOW LOWELL 41.29N 87.41W
02/25/2016 M16.0 INCH LAKE IN PUBLIC
1159 PM SNOW 3 SW MIDWAY AIRPORT 41.75N 87.79W
02/24/2016 M1.9 INCH COOK IL CO-OP OBSERVER
STORM TODAY. 0.26 LIQUID EQUIV AND 2 INCHES ON THE GROUND
1145 PM SNOW GRIFFITH 41.52N 87.42W
02/24/2016 M11.0 INCH LAKE IN PUBLIC
1040 PM HEAVY SNOW LANSING 41.57N 87.55W
02/24/2016 M7.0 INCH COOK IL CO-OP OBSERVER
UPDATED REPORT RELAYED VIA TWITTER.
1000 PM HEAVY SNOW MUNSTER 41.55N 87.50W
02/24/2016 M8.7 INCH LAKE IN TRAINED SPOTTER
VIA TWITTER.
0930 PM HEAVY SNOW CROWN POINT 41.42N 87.36W
02/24/2016 M14.5 INCH LAKE IN PUBLIC
0925 PM SNOW 1 SSW OAK LAWN 41.70N 87.76W
02/24/2016 M1.4 INCH COOK IL COCORAHS
WATER EQUIVALENT OF 0.26 INCHES.
0900 PM HEAVY SNOW ST. JOHN 41.45N 87.48W
02/24/2016 E14.0 INCH LAKE IN PUBLIC
VIA FACEBOOK.
0900 PM BLIZZARD VALPARAISO 41.48N 87.05W
02/24/2016 PORTER IN EMERGENCY MNGR
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS INFERRED BASED ON IMPACTS OF HEAVY
SNOW AND CONCURRENT BLOWING SNOW WITH NEAR ZERO
VISIBILITY REPORTED. STATE OF EMERGENCY HAD BEEN DECLARED
FOR PORTER COUNTY. NUMEROUS MOTORISTS WERE STRANDED AND
NEEDED RESCUE.
0845 PM HEAVY SNOW SCHERERVILLE 41.49N 87.45W
02/24/2016 M11.2 INCH LAKE IN TRAINED SPOTTER
2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF US-41. LIGHT SNOW CONTINUES. REPORT
RELAYED VIA FACEBOOK.
0843 PM HEAVY SNOW DYER 41.50N 87.51W
02/24/2016 M9.8 INCH LAKE IN TRAINED SPOTTER
0843 PM HEAVY SNOW SCHERERVILLE 41.49N 87.45W
02/24/2016 M10.0 INCH LAKE IN TRAINED SPOTTER
0815 PM HEAVY SNOW HOBART 41.53N 87.27W
02/24/2016 M11.5 INCH LAKE IN PUBLIC
VIA FACEBOOK
0810 PM HEAVY SNOW VALPARAISO 41.48N 87.05W
02/24/2016 M11.0 INCH PORTER IN BROADCAST MEDIA
STORM TOTAL SO FAR NEAR VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY.
BLIZZARD/NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS CONTINUE WITH
VISIBILITY BETWEEN 1/4 MILE AND NEAR ZERO. SNOW DRIFTS
AROUND 2 FEET.
0800 PM BLIZZARD RENSSELAER 40.94N 87.15W
02/24/2016 JASPER IN 911 CALL CENTER
NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY WITH MANY MOTORISTS STRANDED DURING
THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING.
0800 PM BLIZZARD MOUNT AYR 40.95N 87.30W
02/24/2016 NEWTON IN EMERGENCY MNGR
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS INFERRED BASED ON IMPACTS OF HEAVY
SNOW AND CONCURRENT BLOWING SNOW WITH NEAR ZERO
VISIBILITY REPORTED. STATE OF EMERGENCY HAD BEEN DECLARED
FOR NEWTON COUNTY. NUMEROUS MOTORISTS WERE STRANDED AND
NEEDED RESCUE. MANY POWER OUTAGES.
0800 PM BLIZZARD CROWN POINT 41.42N 87.36W
02/24/2016 LAKE IN EMERGENCY MNGR
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS INFERRED BASED ON IMPACTS OF HEAVY
SNOW AND CONCURRENT BLOWING SNOW WITH NEAR ZERO
VISIBILITY REPORTED. STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED FOR
LAKE COUNTY. NUMEROUS MOTORISTS WERE STRANDED AND NEEDED
RESUCE. MANY POWER OUTAGES.
0730 PM HEAVY SNOW PARK FOREST 41.48N 87.69W
02/24/2016 M7.0 INCH COOK IL PUBLIC
RELAYED VIA FACEBOOK.
0720 PM BLIZZARD FOWLER 40.62N 87.32W
02/24/2016 BENTON IN 911 CALL CENTER
MOST COUNTY ROADS IMPASSABLE DUE TO SNOW AND NOW MORE SO
BLOWING SNOW. MULTIPLE VEHICLES STUCK OR STRANDED FROM
LATE AFTERNOON INTO EVENING...INCLUDING EVEN SOME TOWS.
0703 PM HEAVY SNOW PEOTONE 41.33N 87.80W
02/24/2016 M6.2 INCH WILL IL COCORAHS
0.63 WATER.
0604 PM SNOW PAXTON 40.46N 88.10W
02/24/2016 E2.0 INCH FORD IL 911 CALL CENTER
ESTIMATED STORM TOTAL SNOW THUS FAR.
0557 PM SNOW ROMEOVILLE 41.65N 88.09W
02/24/2016 M0.2 INCH WILL IL OFFICIAL NWS OBS
STORM TOTAL THUS FAR.
0555 PM SNOW OHARE AIRPORT 41.98N 87.90W
02/24/2016 M1.7 INCH COOK IL OFFICIAL NWS OBS
STORM TOTAL THUS FAR.
0515 PM SNOW 2 WSW ELK GROVE VILLAGE 41.99N 88.03W
02/24/2016 M1.2 INCH COOK IL COCORAHS
0440 PM BLIZZARD MOMENCE 41.16N 87.66W
02/24/2016 KANKAKEE IL EMERGENCY MNGR
SUSTAINED WHITE OUT CONDITIONS ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF
THE COUNTY THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON. DOZENS OF CARS IN
DITCHES OR STUCK.
0415 PM SNOW ESE HOMEWOOD 41.56N 87.66W
02/24/2016 M4.5 INCH COOK IL COCORAHS
0400 PM HEAVY SNOW EARL PARK 40.69N 87.42W
02/24/2016 E11.0 INCH BENTON IN PUBLIC
2 INCHES FELL BY 745 AM EST WHICH LARGELY MELTED AND THEN
9 INCHES HAVE FALLEN SINCE THEN. RELAYED VIA FACEBOOK.
0400 PM HEAVY SNOW BEECHER 41.35N 87.61W
02/24/2016 E7.0 INCH WILL IL PUBLIC
6.5 TO 7 INCHES. RELAYED VIA FACEBOOK.
0345 PM NON-TSTM WND GST GARY 41.60N 87.34W
02/24/2016 M62.00 MPH LAKE IN AWOS
54 KT GUST AT GARY AIRPORT.
&&
$$
MTF
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
1117 PM CST WED FEB 24 2016
...MAXIMUM WIND REPORTS ON WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24TH...
LOCATION SPEED TIME/DATE PROVIDER
GARY AIRPORT 62 MPH 0345 PM 02/24 AWOS
MICHIGAN CITY C-MAN 60 MPH 0654 PM 02/24 MARITIME
CHICAGO HARRISON-DEVER CRIB 58 MPH 0408 PM 02/24 MARITIME
2 N SHOREWOOD 56 MPH 0835 AM 02/24 CWOP
PAXTON 56 MPH 0240 PM 02/24 ILDOT
1 SW DOUGLAS PARK 53 MPH 0524 PM 02/24 ILDOT
BURNS HARBOR 52 MPH 0350 PM 02/24 NWS-GLOS
CALUMET HARBOR 52 MPH 0530 PM 02/24 NWLON
2 SW VALPARAISO 49 MPH 0259 PM 02/24 CWOP
CHICAGO MIDWAY 49 MPH 0447 PM 02/24 ASOS
VALPARAISO AIRPORT 47 MPH 0237 PM 02/24 ASOS
1 W PONTIAC 46 MPH 0440 PM 02/24 ILDOT
1 WSW EAST CHICAGO 46 MPH 0455 PM 02/24 URBANET
2 NE PALATINE 45 MPH 1010 AM 02/24 ILDOT
LEWIS AIRPORT, ROMEOVILLE 45 MPH 0555 AM 02/24 AWOS
2 W MONTROSE HARBOR 44 MPH 0519 PM 02/24 URBANET
DUPAGE AIRPORT 44 MPH 0846 AM 02/24 ASOS
1 WNW FAIRMONT 44 MPH 0800 AM 02/24 USARMY-COE
CHICAGO O`HARE 44 MPH 1120 AM 02/24 ASOS
SUGAR GROVE - AURORA AIRPORT 43 MPH 0908 AM 02/24 ASOS
PEOTONE 43 MPH 0451 PM 02/24 CWOP
3 SSW MINOOKA 43 MPH 0800 AM 02/24 USARMY-COE
1 ESE HIGHLAND PARK 43 MPH 0425 PM 02/24 UPR
2 ESE LOCKPORT 42 MPH 0907 AM 02/24 CWOP
GRAND RIDGE 42 MPH 1134 AM 02/24 CWOP
1 E SYCAMORE 42 MPH 0840 AM 02/24 ILDOT
2 E HARWOOD HEIGHTS 42 MPH 0410 PM 02/24 UPR
1 SSE DOUGLAS PARK 41 MPH 0405 PM 02/24 URBANET
BROOKFIELD 41 MPH 0822 AM 02/24 CWOP
1 W CHICAGO 41 MPH 0304 PM 02/24 CWOP
2 SSE STEWARD 41 MPH 0855 AM 02/24 ILDOT
1 SSW OTTAWA 41 MPH 1100 AM 02/24 USARMY-COE
DE KALB AIRPORT 40 MPH 0955 AM 02/24 AWOS
1 SE LAKE BLUFF 40 MPH 0127 PM 02/24 CWOP
1 NNE CRYSTAL LAKE 40 MPH 1014 AM 02/24 CWOP
2 NW BOLINGBROOK 40 MPH 0845 AM 02/24 CWOP
LANSING AIRPORT 40 MPH 0615 PM 02/24 AWOS
PONTIAC AIRPORT 40 MPH 0755 AM 02/24 AWOS
WAUKEGAN AIRPORT 40 MPH 1013 AM 02/24 ASOS
OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING
EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
| Radar Loop from 3 a.m. Wednesday through 12 a.m. Thursday |
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| This loop shows how persistent the strong radar echoes were across northwest Indiana for a several hour period on Wednesday, from early morning well into the evening. |
| Regional Radar Loop and 700mb Frontogenesis from 330 AM CST Wednesday through 1130 PM CST Wednesday |
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| A regional view of the radar evolution for a similar time period on Wednesday shows how this event evolved around a deepening low pressure center. This analysis shows what the low pressure system looked like approximately 9000' above the surface, which was an area of the atmosphere where there was strong support for snow production during this event. The purple contours on the north and west side of the low center align along the west edge of the persistent radar echoes. This is not surprising considering these purple contours show where forcing for upward motion and snowfall development was strongest at this level of the atmosphere. Within the axis of strongest forcing, the upward motion will be most favored toward the warmer side, which in this case was the eastern side of the contours. |
| Water Vapor Satellite Loop from 615 PM CST Monday 2/22 through 945 AM CST Thursday 2/25 |
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| Here is an even wider view showing a multi-day evolution of this strong low pressure system across the eastern United States from the perspective of the GOES-East Satellite Water Vapor channel. In addition to bringing heavy snowfall and dangerous blizzard conditions to the Great Lakes, this very large storm system also was responsible for a significant severe weather outbreak on Tuesday along the Gulf Coast and on Wednesday along the Atlantic Coast. |
| Weather Balloon Data Courtesy of Valparaiso University. Taken at 11:42 a.m. on Feb 24 |
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| This helpful sounding was taken by the meteorology department at Valparaiso University as the heavy snow was beginning. Note the strong northeast winds in the low-levels that would make their way down to the surface in gusts through much of the event. In addition, the saturated profile in the low-levels has a fairly large depth within the temperature range of 0°C to -5°C, ideal for snow growth by aggregation, where wet snow flakes of varying sizes "clump" together. |
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