Midwest & Great Lakes November 20-21st Snowstorm

[brianc400]

A few spots at 16" in the county!

 

1255 PM HEAVY SNOW HAWTHORN WOODS 42.22N 88.06W

11/21/2015 M16.5 INCH LAKE IL PUBLIC

 

RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

 

That's me.

[Tom]

That 7.1" report at ORD was a couple hours ago, before the Lake effect really got going. I bet they are over 9" by now or near it.

Your probably right.  I'm sitting at just about 9" right now.

[westMJim]

With the snow reports that are coming out of Iowa and Illinois I am almost ashamed to report that here in Grand Rapids I now am at 3” with ever thing covered except the roads witch are just wet. There are reports of up to 7" and more to the east and SE of Grand Rapids.

[East Dubzz]

Impressive: 

[jaster220]

Been out all morning. Got home at 1:15 and had a solid 8" so far. See how the tail end of this does minus the LES..

[Money]

Not even enough to cover the grass here.

 

Sucks to spend so  much time on a storm then see it shift completely south at the last minute to screw you over.

[Blugga]

Looks like it's over by me. Just flurries now. Total of 12". That's fine by me. 

[Geos]

That's me.

 

Nice.

 

Hasn't accumulated all that much since 1pm. 13.4" total.

 

Very impressive and happy this storm delivered. Don't get to see this in November really around here.

[Niko]

A lot of ppl south of say Kankakee, IL certainly had a surprise snow with this system...given the way the models were forecasting this system to track yesterday.  Now it looks like S/SE MI is in line to get in on the heavier snow fall...north side of DTX doing well.  

 

@ NIko, how is it out by you?

So far picked up around 4.5inches and has stopped snowing for awhile now. I guess Part 2 is on the way with the heavier stuff. My total snowfall expected is 6-11inches. Its beautiful outside. Winter wonderland.

[Niko]

http://cache1.intelliweather.net/imagery/IntelliWeather/rad_ne_640x480_09.jpg

 

Can easily see the negative tilt approaching the Great Lakes region.

[Tom]

Updated snowfall list:  ORD's total is skeptical when Elk Grove Village is literally the next city to the west.

 

 

Location         Snowfall (inches)

Grayslake                    17.0

Hawthorn Woods        16.5

Roscoe                         16.0

Mundelein                   15.5

Wadsworth                  13.0

Lake Villa                    12.0

Elgin 2NE                     12.0

Elk Grove Village        11.6

Lake Zurich                 11.0

St  Charles                     8.0

Caro Stream                7.8

O’Hare                         7.1

Glencoe                       6.6

Portage IN                   4.8

Crown Pt. IN                5.0

Kankakee                     4.1

Naperville                   4.0

Midway                       3.5

 

[Maxim]

ORD total hasn't updated, they're over 10" atm.

[jaster220]

So far picked up around 4.5inches and has stopped snowing for awhile now. I guess Part 2 is on the way with the heavier stuff. My total snowfall expected is 6-11inches. Its beautiful outside. Winter wonderland.

 

Hit DOUBLE DIGITS about 3pm. Still coming down, but flakes are the tiny kind. Not sure how much more to go tbh. Already best 1st snow/Nov snow for me in downstate MI, exceeded only by 14" total I had on 11-5-90 in Traverse City. Good luck over there, hope that verifies for Motown gang!

[Yerf]

Really enjoyed this storm. 3:45 and still have snow showers

[Blugga]

Looks like someone cracked the 20" mark:

http://i.imgur.com/IZesaAE.png

[Niko]

Hit DOUBLE DIGITS about 3pm. Still coming down, but flakes are the tiny kind. Not sure how much more to go tbh. Already best 1st snow/Nov snow for me in downstate MI, exceeded only by 14" total I had on 11-5-90 in Traverse City. Good luck over there, hope that verifies for Motown gang!

wow..you are doing great there. Much more snow than me. Im sitting at about 6inches and its coming down moderate to heavy at times now after a brief dryslot went thru. Radar looks very healthy,so I can see myself reaching the 10inch mark. Will see.

[Niko]

Updated snowfall list:  ORD's total is skeptical when Elk Grove Village is literally the next city to the west.

Wow..some impressive amounts of snow in portions of Illinois.

[Tom]

Just woke up from a napski and to the sound of my furnace running.  Took a minute to gather myself as I awoke and when I looked outside...it almost felt like it was mid January out there!  Haha!  Certainly enjoyed this storm in many different aspects.  Really surprised as to how much moisture this system produced after tracking it for 4-5 days from a rinky dinky wave to a full blown snow storm!   I think in the future, we'll have to pay attn to more Lake Enhanced snowfall down the road on this side of the lake.  The overall pattern with blocking HP's centered in Canada make it favorable to produce winds down the lake.  Onto the next one!

[Blugga]

ORD total sits at 11.2" so far. That might be the final total.

[Tom]

ORD total sits at 11.2" so far. That might be the final total.

Wow, that'll put it at the #2 spot (.8 short of tying #1 of 12.0")...

[MarcusBeier]

7+ inches and coming down furious with large flakes in Northville MI, i feel from looking at the radar we will go heavy for the next 2 hours then die off, im thinking the 10" mark could be obtained. Power flickering

[Geos]

ORD total sits at 11.2" so far. That might be the final total.

 

So close to breaking #1.

 

Seen the higher totals just to my west. I think there was slightly better ratios out that way and the intense band last night lasted longer there. Would have never guessed this winter would have started out like this!

[Niko]

So close to breaking #1.

 

Seen the higher totals just to my west. I think there was slightly better ratios out that way and the intense band last night lasted longer there. Would have never guessed this winter would have started out like this!

What a great start indeed. My heavy snow has lighten up and it will taper off in a couple of hours. My total accumulation will probably put me at near 9inches. Currently at 8.6". Still snowing lightly. My neighbors are out shoveling snow now. Its a beauty out there. I had a dry slot over me for at least 2 hours, otherwise, my accumulations would have been higher.

 

Geos, how much snow did you end up receiving?

[Tom]

Winter Storm Bella...biggest snow in over 100 Years for Chicago!  Good omen for the rest of the Winter???

 

http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-bella-first-snow-iowa-illinois-wisconsin-michigan-chicago-detroit

 

10 Greatest Storm Totals in November for Chicago and Rockford Chicago Rockford

1. November 25-26, 1895: 12.0"
2. November 6-7, 1951: 9.3"
3. November 26-27, 1975: 8.6"
4. November 27-28, 1891: 6.0"
5. November 26-27, 1978: 5.8"
6. November 26, 1941: 5.7"
7. November 17-18, 1927: 4.8"
8. November 15, 1940: 4.8"
9. November 26, 1950: 4.7"
10. November 3, 1951: 4.4"

1. November 6-7, 1951: 9.5"
2. November 27, 1995: 6.6"
3. November 17-18, 1926: 6.0"
4. November 30, 2004: 5.2"
5. November 26-27, 1950: 5.0"
6. November 10-11, 1947: 4.8"
7. November 28, 1968: 4.5"
8. November 26-27, 1975: 4.4"
9. November 30, 2008: 4.3"
10. November 18, 1926: 4.2"

[Maxim]

That 1895 one is particularly impressive. Official station was in downtown at the time I believe.

[Geos]

What a great start indeed. My heavy snow has lighten up and it will taper off in a couple of hours. My total accumulation will probably put me at near 9inches. Currently at 8.6". Still snowing lightly. My neighbors are out shoveling snow now. Its a beauty out there. I had a dry slot over me for at least 2 hours, otherwise, my accumulations would have been higher.

 

Geos, how much snow did you end up receiving?

 

13.4"

 

Totals go up quick as you go west a little ways.

[OKwx2k4]

Congrats on all the great snow everyone!

[Tom]

From Skilling:

 

http://static.chicagoweathercenter.com/media/2015/11/featuregraphic112215-1024x849.jpg

[Tom]

This system was a system of "firsts"...

 

[Andrew NE]

Congrats on all the snow. I still believe this winter has plenty to offer for all of this forum. Mother mature will show her hand at some point this winter season.

[westMJim]

I think for many locations this snow storm will be the biggest of the winter of 2015/16. Here at my house and at GRR (witch is about 15 miles to my SE) 3.2" was the final total for yesterday. And just before sunrise with clear skies and light winds the temp fell to 16° here at my house for by far the coldest reading so far this season.

[Iowa2015]

Final Snow total 3 inches Close bye ended with 8 inches Here we just couldn't get under on of those heavier bands for a extended period of time

[Hawkeye]

It appears I never checked in here at the end of the storm.  I ended up with 6.2" on the snow board that was cleared halfway through.  There was no more than 5.5 on the ground and uncleared board, though.  I never did see any heavy snow, just moderate rates for 12 hours.  Combined with the fact it was all at night, it was as unsatisfying as a 6" storm can be.  Model qpf consensus was 0.8-0.9", but I ended up with only 0.54".

 

A band from Sioux Falls to Dubuque to Chicago to nw of Detroit really got rocked, though, so that was pretty neat to see.

[Geos]

It was interesting to see the storm from many aspects, but one thing I have never really seen is a really heavy snowfall so close to the lake with an onshore breeze. It only warmed to 33° for a brief period during the lighter returns really early Saturday morning. The most urban areas near the lake didn't do go great, but the rest of the area came in with big totals despite that marine influence. A storm that I always will remember. 

 

1.48" of moisture from the storm pushed the November water total up and over 3", which is above normal for the month.

 

Will post some pictures from today a little later.

 

[jaster220]

It was interesting to see the storm from many aspects, but one thing I have never really seen is a really heavy snowfall so close to the lake with an onshore breeze. It only warmed to 33° for a brief period during the lighter returns really early Saturday morning. The most urban areas near the lake didn't do go great, but the rest of the area came in with big totals despite that marine influence. A storm that I always will remember. 

 

1.48" of moisture from the storm pushed the November water total up and over 3", which is above normal for the month.

 

Will post some pictures from today a little later.

 

 

Nice graphic capture of the massive extent. Almost a February copy-cat storm! As usual though, it's a bit light over my way as I had 12.5" total. I think they were a bit shy for mby by about the same ~2" amnts after the Jan '14 Big Dog. NIL Jackpot again. Sheesh, the new Madison, strangley only a county or two south.

[jaster220]

From Skilling:

 

http://static.chicagoweathercenter.com/media/2015/11/featuregraphic112215-1024x849.jpg

 

So, I was too busy to follow everything that was going on beside here in mby. Did Skilling ever get on board with this going big? Last report I remember was that he was "down playing it"

[Tom]

So, I was too busy to follow everything that was going on beside here in mby. Did Skilling ever get on board with this going big? Last report I remember was that he was "down playing it"

I don't recall Skilling every thinking snow totals would exceed 12"...actually, none of the met's did on this one.

[jaster220]

I don't recall Skilling every thinking snow totals would exceed 12"...actually, none of the met's did on this one.

 

Even SEMI scored a high of nearly 17" northwest of Detroit burbs in a town where my cousins lived for about 5 yrs when we were in Jr. High school. This storm was just totally off the hook for this region. Not only was it a really nice warm sunny mild autumn, but the way it blasted in on the heals of 60 deg wx was March like. It was sunny until mid-day Friday, then 1/2 a day of clouding up, then BAM! snowstorm! No mix at the onset, no waiting for hours and hours of virga to play out. And it moved out as quickly. By yesterday evening we had clear skies and 20's. This happens up in the Northland without a doubt I saw if firsthand, but most of my life I've been in SMI and can't remember anything like it. Where do we go from here?

[jaster220]

So close to breaking #1.

 

Seen the higher totals just to my west. I think there was slightly better ratios out that way and the intense band last night lasted longer there. Would have never guessed this winter would have started out like this!

 

Not an apples-to-apples comparison though with ORD being so far inland

 

That 1895 one is particularly impressive. Official station was in downtown at the time I believe.

 

My guess is it was a wound-up system with a lot of snow falling on a NW wind, thus negating the marine influence. Could look up the archives if I have time.

[Maxim]

Skilling underplayed this one big time, not sure why he refused to buy into the bigger totals. At the time, he thought 5" would be too high for ORD, LOL...