2/25 - 2/26 Clipper

[jaster220]

Congrats Chicago peeps on the LES bands. Nice pick-up Tom!

[Geos]

There's been a heavy band of snow sitting near the Stevenson Expressway for awhile. Wouldn't be surprised to see 4" reports coming out of that corridor. 

 

2.7" here so far.

[Tom]

2.9" IMBY...coming down in waves....looking up stream near MKE, looks like the band is starting to light up...

 

@ Geo's, some places near the city probably close to 4-5" by now.  That band has been holding steady near DT Chicago.

[Seahawkfan]

Coming down at a decent clip last couple hours I was thinking we wouldn't get warning level Snow but it's looking like the warning will verify. Good times Especially will another Storm Saturday night that may bring some big Snow accumulations to most of people on this fourm. One after that on Tuesday could go either way looks like cold rain right now But hopefully it change since still nearly a week away. Hopefully a big Snow pack will be the difference between cold rain vs Snow Anything but freezing rain that the worst.

[Tom]

LOT considering issuing a LES Advisory for Cook county:

 

 

 

000
FXUS63 KLOT 260607
AFDLOT

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1207 AM CST THU FEB 26 2015

.MESOSCALE DISCUSSION...
1200 AM CST

SEMI-ORGANIZED MODERATE TO AT TIMES HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW
SHOWERS HAVE BEEN STREAMING INTO NORTHEAST ILLINOIS OVER THE PAST
COUPLE HOURS. THIS HAS BECOME THE MORE IMPACTING PHENOMENON AS THE
SYNOPTIC SNOW FROM THE UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE EASE SOUTHEAST.

REPORTS AT MIDNIGHT INDICATE SNOW OF AROUND AN INCH TO INCH AND A
HALF HAVE BEEN OBSERVED IN THE PAST TWO-THREE HOURS IN COOK
COUNTY. RADAR ECHOES OF 25-30 DBZ HAVE CORRELATED WITH VISIBILITY
OF ONE HALF TO AT TIMES ONE QUARTER MILE WITH SOME OF THIS LAKE
EFFECT SNOW ACTIVITY...INDICATING AT LEAST TEMPORARY HEAVY
RATES UNDER THESE SHOWERS. ON THE LARGE SCALE...LOW-LEVEL DRY AIR
IS ADVANCING SOUTHWARD...BUT NOT SURE IF THIS WILL HAVE MUCH
IMPACT ON THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS AS LAKE-INDUCED EQUILIBRIUM
LEVELS ARE ACTUALLY FORECAST TO IMPROVE WITH THE COOLING AIR MASS.
IN ADDITION...AMDAR DATA INDICATES ISOTHERMAL PROFILES OF AROUND
8000 FT THICK IN THE IDEAL SNOW GROWTH AREA WHERE THIS LAKE EFFECT
CONVERGENCE IS STREAMING INTO NORTHEAST IL. WITH MESOSCALE
CONVERGENCE LIKELY TO HOLD INTO NORTHEAST ILLINOIS THROUGH MID-
MORNING OR SO...MAY END UP NEEDING A LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY FOR
COOK COUNTY SIMPLY FOR THE AT TIMES HEAVIER RATES INTO THE MORNING
COMMUTE AND ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS THAT COULD NEAR THREE INCHES
IF A BAND OR BANDS HOLD IN ANY ONE PLACE FOR A COUPLE/FEW HOURS OR
SO. WILL CLOSELY MONITOR OBSERVATIONAL TRENDS AND SNOWFALL REPORTS
AND ESTIMATES FROM ANY LATE NIGHT REPORTS. WILL ALSO NEED TO
ASSESS IF SUCH AN ADVISORY WILL BE NEEDED TODAY FOR LAKE AND
PORTER COUNTIES IN INDIANA.

[Tom]

Probably a good call to issue an advisory.  This lake effect setup is looking pretty good around here.  Wouldn't be surprised if some spots pick up 6"+ in Cook county.  Lake plume starting to really take shape.

[Tom]

Snowing rather heavily with huge dendrites...picked up 3/4" in the last hour...up to 3.7" IMBY...this is turning out to be a pleasant surprise!

[BLIZZARD09]

very nice surprise --got up to 3 inches here

[Tom]

Heavy Snow!  Ya buddy....Man I love Lake Effect Snow....

[Tom]

very nice surprise --got up to 3 inches here

It's supposed to be like this all night long...in and out of these heavier bands...

[Tom]

Lake Band about to move into E DuPage County....Oakbrook should be getting nailed by now...I think that's around Tony's area...

[Tom]

LOT: 

 

 

Lake Effect Snow AdvisoryURGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
1236 AM CST THU FEB 26 2015

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW CONTINUING INTO THE MORNING COMMUTE...


ILZ014-261445-
/O.NEW.KLOT.LE.Y.0001.150226T0636Z-150226T1800Z/
COOK-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...CHICAGO
1236 AM CST THU FEB 26 2015

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A LAKE EFFECT
SNOW ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY.

* TIMING...MODERATE TO BRIEFLY HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW CONTINUING
THROUGH MID TO LATE MORNING BEFORE TAPERING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO THREE
INCHES ON TOP OF THE TWO TO THREE INCHES THAT FELL WEDNESDAY
EVENING. ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY VARY SIGNIFICANTLY GIVEN THE
LAKE EFFECT NATURE OF THE SNOW.

* IMPACTS...SNOW COVERED ROADS AND AT TIMES SHARPLY REDUCED
VISIBILITY WILL LEAD TO DIFFICULT AND POSSIBLY TREACHEROUS TRAVEL
DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE.

* OTHER IMPACTS...WINDS GUSTING TO 20 TO 25 MPH...AT TIMES NEAR
THE LAKE SHORE UP TO 35 MPH...WILL CAUSE SOME BLOWING SNOW IN
EXPOSED PLACES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY MEANS LAKE-EFFECT SNOW IS FORECAST
THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT IN SOME AREAS. LAKE-EFFECT SNOW
SHOWERS TYPICALLY ALIGN THEMSELVES IN BANDS AND WILL LIKELY BE
INTENSE ENOUGH TO DROP SEVERAL INCHES IN LOCALIZED AREAS. USE
CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING.

 

[Tom]

It's crazy how hard it can snow when your underneath these bands.  At times it just pours out of the sky.  What if ORD picks up 7" from this event tonight???  I'm already sitting at a little over 4" and this is just the beginning.  ORD may break the all-time snowiest record for February.  Let's go baby!

[Tom]

Snowfall quickly adding up...sitting at a little over 4"...

[Tom]

Nice convergence setting up in SE WI/NE IL...

 

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/orthographic=-90.76,40.66,3000

 

Heavy Snow showing up near MKE....

[Tom]

It is absolutely fantastic out there!  Snowing 1"/hr+ right now...picked up 1.1" in the last hour...total thus far 5.7"!  Snow depth roughly 5.4" (compacted down).  This is easily 25:1 snow ratios.  Surprised LOT hasn't upgraded to a Lake Effect Snow Warning bc its that bad out there.

 

Just got back from a 30-40 min cruise around my city and it is a Winter Wonderland.  Certainly getting the heaviest snowfall rates of the season under this lake plume that has just exploded.  This LES event reminds me of the one last year but the difference between this event and last year's is the longevity of tonight's snow event.  Rarely does Chicago ever get to experience such a long duration LES event on this side of the lake.  This one probably will top the books IMBY.  I won't be surprised if I pick up another 2-3"+ the way this lake plume is setting up.  N Cook county is getting pounded right now.

 

http://climate.cod.edu/data/nexrad/LOT/N0Q/LOT.N0Q.20150226.0841.gif

[Tom]

MKE issued a Lake Effect Snow Advisory:

 

 

 

Lake Effect Snow AdvisoryURGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
147 AM CST THU FEB 26 2015

...BURST OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL OVERNIGHT INTO THE EARLY
MORNING...

.A BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWFALL WILL AFFECT THE
SOUTHEAST PART OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY AS WELL AS PARTS OF EASTERN
RACINE AND KENOSHA COUNTIES LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY THIS MORNING.

LIGHT FLUFFY SNOWFALL OF 3 TO 6 INCHES IS EXPECTED FROM PARTS OF
EASTERN MILWAUKEE TO OAK CREEK...WIND POINT...RACINE AND KENOSHA
THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING.

THE FLUFFY SNOWFALL AND COLD TEMPERATURES WILL RESULT IN SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

WIZ071-072-261400-
/O.NEW.KMKX.LE.Y.0001.150226T0747Z-150226T1400Z/
RACINE-KENOSHA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...RACINE...KENOSHA
147 AM CST THU FEB 26 2015

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM CST THIS
MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN HAS ISSUED A
LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM CST
THIS MORNING.

* TIMING...PERIODS OF MODERATE TO BRIEFLY HEAVY SNOWFALL THROUGH 8
AM CST.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES IN THE WESTERN PART OF
THE COUNTIES TO 3 TO 6 INCHES IN THE EAST...INCLUDING WIND
POINT...PORTIONS OF RACINE AND KENOSHA.

* WINDS...NORTH 10 TO 20 MPH.

* IMPACTS...SNOW COVERED ROADS AND WALKS CREATING HAZARDOUS TRAVEL
CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY MEANS LAKE-EFFECT SNOW IS FORECAST
THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT IN SOME AREAS. LAKE-EFFECT SNOW
SHOWERS TYPICALLY ALIGN THEMSELVES IN BANDS AND WILL LIKELY BE
INTENSE ENOUGH TO DROP SEVERAL INCHES IN LOCALIZED AREAS. USE
CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING.

 

[Tom]

From LOT's Discussion:

 

 

AMDAR DATA INDICATES ISOTHERMAL PROFILES OF AROUND
8000 FT THICK IN THE IDEAL SNOW GROWTH AREA WHERE THIS LAKE EFFECT
CONVERGENCE IS STREAMING INTO NORTHEAST IL.

These are probably the biggest flake sizes I have seen falling out of the sky for such a long period of time. It's no wonder how fast it is accumulating and also settling at the same time bc of its "fluff" nature.

[Tom]

Holy D**n!  Picked up 1.1" in the last 30 minutes!  Crazy...I can't believe its 3:09am and I'm still up.  I'm a total weather geek when it comes to heavy snow!

[Tom]

#'s don't lie...snow depth of 6.5"...total snowfall thus far 7.0"!

[Maxim]

5.1" at O'Hare

[ChiTownWeather]

Clipper wasn't too fantastic is southern lake county but the LES has made up for that. Maybe an inch of snow last night from the clipper, close to four now and still snowing. When I was out snow blowing this morning a few heavy bands moved through and flakes size increased and visibility decreased. Amazing how LES works.

[Geos]

4.0" here. 1.5" since midnight.

[Maxim]

2.9" here

[Geos]

That plume is treacherous driving into. Whiteout conditions - was down to three car lengths visibility at times.

 

 

 

[james1976]

Wow, you guys got hit good. Tom, what was your storm total?

[Seahawkfan]

Just went out measured 5.5 inches for the clipper.

[Geos]

From about 8:15 am, Somers, WI.

 

 

East Racine.

 

East Racine.

 

[Tom]

Wow, you guys got hit good. Tom, what was your storm total?

Went to bed around 3:30am and my total was 7.0". Just measureda fresh 1.1" where I cleared the deck before I hit the sack bringing my total to 8.1" and its still snowing!   Hands down the best LES event I have witnessed in my area.

[Sciascia]

LOT has hoisted a Lake Effect Snow Warning for lakeside areas until 6pm.

[Tom]

LOT has hoisted a Lake Effect Snow Warning for lakeside areas until 6pm.

They should have done this last night!  A little late to the party I guess.  Would be the first LES Warning we have seen in years.

[BLIZZARD09]

Tom--you are further from the lake than I am, How did you get so much more snow? we Had 4 inches

[Tom]

Tom--you are further from the lake than I am, How did you get so much more snow? we Had 4 inches

N Cook seemed to be in the right spot as the lake band just kept on pounding away last night.  Check out this radar imagery over the last 12+ hours:

 

http://weather.cod.edu/satrad/nexrad/index.php?type=LOT-N0Q-1-96

[Maxim]

Lake County, IL always seems to be the screw area when it comes to lake effect snow set-ups for some reason.

[BLIZZARD09]

VERY Heavy snow now falling here

[Tom]

VERY Heavy snow now falling here

Chitown getting pounded by that lake plume now.  That is the type of snowfall rates I was experience last night.  Huge flakes that just pour out of the sky.  Pretty amazing sight to see.

 

I must say, if it doesn't snow from this point forward I will be satisfied with this Winter.  We had the Super Bowl Blizzard and this Lake Effect snow event that topped off the cake.

[BLIZZARD09]

Chitown getting pounded by that lake plume now.  That is the type of snowfall rates I was experience last night.  Huge flakes that just pour out of the sky.  Pretty amazing sight to see.

 

I must say, if it doesn't snow from this point forward I will be satisfied with this Winter.  We had the Super Bowl Blizzard and this Lake Effect snow event that topped off the cake.

It is an amazing sight---Dont know if I am satisfied--this gets me thirsting for more

[gosaints]

Chitown getting pounded by that lake plume now.  That is the type of snowfall rates I was experience last night.  Huge flakes that just pour out of the sky.  Pretty amazing sight to see.

 

I must say, if it doesn't snow from this point forward I will be satisfied with this Winter.  We had the Super Bowl Blizzard and this Lake Effect snow event that topped off the cake.

You guys have threaded the needle that is for sure.. COngrats.  Now you know what its like to be in the up.... ALL WINTER LONG

[Tom]

You guys have threaded the needle that is for sure.. COngrats.  Now you know what its like to be in the up.... ALL WINTER LONG

Sometimes I wish I lived up there near Houghton, MI but there is absolutely NO nightlife and would get rather boring quickly.  Next best place would be getting a place in Aspen, CO.  One of my goals is to buy a place out there soon and spend winter seasons up in the mountains.

[gosaints]

Sometimes I wish I lived up there near Houghton, MI but there is absolutely NO nightlife and would get rather boring quickly.  Next best place would be getting a place in Aspen, CO.  One of my goals is to buy a place out there soon and spend winter seasons up in the mountains.

that would be the perfect winter climate for me.  Loads of snow while still averaging of 32 farenheit every month