2/3-2/4 Southern Lakes/Ohio Valley Winter Storm...

[Blugga]

Anyone know what the snow ratio is? From what I'm getting it looks to be around 20:1. Very very fluffy snow.

[Hawkeye]

Anyone know what the snow ratio is? From what I'm getting it looks to be around 20:1. Very very fluffy snow.

 

Over here in Iowa the ratio is only about 10 to 1, due to tiny flakes and some wind helping to compact it.

[6789]

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=lot

 

By the looks of that, the heaviest bands are moving NE and seem to be over the Northern part of the region, not in the warning but in the advisory! Currently heavy snow, with big flakes, last time I checked I had 0.5" down, maybe have an 1" now! Hopefully that band can back build and create a training type of snow band

[midwest buildit]

it looks like there is a nice band of snow thats setting up over the chicago area. think this will stick around or drift out of our area? looks like some of the heavier snow may end up by us.

[Tom]

Gauging at the radar and looking how the band over E IA just seems stationary and not dropping SE, this would lead me to believe NE IL should have several more hours of these heavier bands if they continue to hold together.

 

Edit: Sitting at 1.3" IMBY

[6789]

Gauging at the radar and looking how the band over E IA just seems stationary and not dropping SE, this would lead me to believe NE IL should have several more hours of these heavier bands if they continue to hold together.

 

Edit: Sitting at 1.3" IMBY

My bad doing this off my phone, but heavy snow ATM and if this continues I might break 5" if any else seeing the stationary bands that are dumping snow on us? It almost seems that the heaviest snow is North of the WSW's! Maybe just maybe my dream will come true

[ChiTownWeather]

At 10:45 had 0.9 in. Hope to wake up to 4 inches tomorrow morning 

[ChiTownWeather]

surprised nobody has posted this graphic, ABC7 snowfall shows a donut hole of lesser amounts in southern metro, but higher totals toward the border... interesting 

[6789]

surprised nobody has posted this graphic, ABC7 snowfall shows a donut hole of lesser amounts in southern metro, but higher totals toward the border... interesting 

Seems plausible considering that the heavy snow bands haven't stopped here for almost an hour now. Really coming down. 

[Tom]

I would say this snow is easily 15:1 or higher...very fluffy and slippery.  I just got back home and the roads are extremely slick and snow covered.  Saw a car that slid off the road and the winds are starting to pick up out of the NE.

[Sciascia]

Moderate snow here. Bigger fluffy flakes, but it isn't necessarily falling hard to lower visibilities that drastically.

[Tom]

N DuPage/N Cook getting smoked right now!  Visibilities just dropped to 1/2 mile under this heavy 25-30 DBZ band.  Its beautiful out there right now.  Wondering if the lake is really starting to work its magic.

[DominicR]

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL

1159 PM CST TUE FEB 4 2014

 

.MESOSCALE DISCUSSION...

1154 PM CST

 

VERY WELL-DEFINED UPPER WAVE ON WATER VAPOR NEAR MIDNIGHT ACROSS

NORTHWEST MO CONTINUES TO ROTATE TOWARD THE AREA. ISENTROPIC ASCENT

AHEAD OF THIS HAS STRENGTHENED OVER CENTRAL TO NORTHERN IL AND IN

AND WILL CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS...LIKELY THROUGH 3-4 AM...BEFORE

EVOLVING EAST. CONVERGENCE ON THE NOSE OF THIS ALONG WITH LIKELY

FRONTOGENESIS...AS INFERRED BY VAD PROFILES AND AMDAR DATA INDICATING

A SHARP WIND SHIFT AROUND 10KFT...HAS FURTHER BLOSSOMED A SWATH OF

SNOW FROM SOUTH OF THE QUAD CITIES TO THE NORTH AND WEST METRO OF

CHICAGO. IN ADDITION...UPPER SUPPORT AND SYSTEM DEFORMATION WILL

WORK OVER THE REGION OVERNIGHT.

 

DESPITE IMPRESSIVE REFLECTIVITY...VISIBILITY AT SITES UNDERNEATH

HAVE NOT DROPPED TOO FAR YET...POSSIBLY STILL DUE TO SOME BATTLE

WITH LOW-LEVEL DRY AIR. THAT WILL LIKELY NOT BE A PROBLEM MUCH

LONGER. ALSO THE DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE IS FORECAST TO EXPAND AS

COOLING OCCURS ALOFT...SO LARGER FLAKES MAY BE PRESENT FOR

QUICKER ACCUMS. THE QUESTION IS IF THIS BAND REMAINS STATIONARY

VERY LONG...WHICH WITH THE HIGH ECHOES IN THE ILX CWA MOVING

NORTHWARD INTO IT COULD LEAD TO SOME REALLY QUICK ACCUMS...WITH

HIGHER END ADVISORY AMOUNTS IN THE I-88 TO I-80 CORRIDOR. WILL

CONTINUE TO MONITOR BUT THE 3-6 INCHES IN THE CURRENT ADVISORY

LOOKS TO COVER THE RANGE. THIS BAND OR BANDS OF SNOW COULD RESULT

IN HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THIS CORRIDOR THAN NORTHERN PARTS OF THE

WARNING...WHICH CAN HAPPEN WITH THESE COMPLEX SYSTEMS. BUT IMPACT

WISE WE WILL LIKELY SEE EXPANDING BLOWING SNOW AREA WIDE AS WE GO

THROUGH THE NIGHT SO HEADLINES LOOK GOOD. SNOW STILL LOOKS TO

SLOWLY TAPER FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE MORNING.

 

 

[Tom]

Here are some pics I took not too long ago...just measured 2.5" and piling up quickly underneath this band.  Didn't expect this much snow already.

 

[DominicR]

1200 AM SNOW OHARE AIRPORT 41.98N 87.90W

02/05/2014 M1.3 INCH COOK IL OFFICIAL NWS OBS

 

STORM TOTAL 1.3 INCHES.

 

[Sciascia]

1.3" storm total so far at ORD. My 2.5" call from a couple days ago is looking low, much to my delight. Wonder how high it'll be when it's all said & done.

[DominicR]

Here are some pics I took not too long ago...just measured 2.5" and piling up quickly underneath this band.  Didn't expect this much snow already.

 

Wow already 2.5 inches? I'd say I got as much as ORD right now around 1.5. That band was a bit north of me for a period of time but it's picking up and visibilities are dropping.

[winterfreak]

Would just like to point out that the NAM nailed it. At least for these parts. Hope everyone piles on the snow with this dynamic system. Probably won't see the pitential for another like this for a while.

[DominicR]

Would just like to point out that the NAM nailed it. At least for these parts. Hope everyone piles on the snow with this dynamic system. Probably won't see the pitential for another like this for a while.

 

Yeah it seems like the big winter storms in the last few years have been on the other side of the state. Congrats. Lot's of shoveling or snow blowing to do.

[Tom]

As LOT mentioned, dendrites are real fluffy and starting to pile up right now.  Probably snowing at 3/4" per hour.

 

 

[Hawkeye]

2.5" here, and probably about 0.25" liquid.  Our snow is cold and dry, but also dense.  No big, fluffy flakes over here.

[Tom]

Really impressed to see how these heavy bands just developed in NE IL and not going anywhere.  Just measured almost 3.0" and coming down hard with fat flakes.  Cleared the deck and I'll measure in the morning.

[Tom]

I think this dynamic system jogged farther NW because it looks like S IL/S IN are getting dry slotted big time.  I don't see how 8-12" will fall down there in Indianapolis.  All the moisture has been driven into N IL/N IN/S MI.  Based on radar trends, I think the Detroit area will do very well from this system.

[DominicR]

I think this dynamic system jogged farther NW because it looks like S IL/S IN are getting dry slotted big time.  I don't see how 8-12" will fall down there in Indianapolis.  All the moisture has been driven into N IL/N IN/S MI.  Based on radar trends, I think the Detroit area will do very well from this system.

 

Yeah NAM still has like 4-5 more inches right along lake.

[Tom]

I just measured 0.5" in the last 30 minutes!  It's rippin' out there right now.  You can see even heavier bands heading north from the Joliet area.  Some nice 30 DBZ rates showing up and solid heavy snow right now.

 

I'm at 3.5" right now, probably going to pass 6.0" easily if this can continue till the early morning hours.

[Tom]

I think LOT should upgrade to warning if this continues.  Snow is piling up with huge dendrites and the wind is becoming a factor right now.

[Tom]

Just measured 6.0" IMBY and moderate snow falling at the moment.  Huge surprise to see this much snow.  This storm definitely stronger than expected.  Probably get another 1-2" through the morning.  It's a winter wonderland out there and the wind is howling out of the NE.

[DominicR]

Just measured 6.0" IMBY and moderate snow falling at the moment.  Huge surprise to see this much snow.  This storm definitely stronger than expected.  Probably get another 1-2" through the morning.  It's a winter wonderland out there and the wind is howling out of the NE.

 

Sat could be atleast advisory event for far N IL and up in MN/WI/M to possibly. Wow what a winter man! Just measured a little over 5 inches fo far. Snow has lighten up a bit but still looks like another inch or two before it's over later.

[gosaints]

Congrats to you guys again. I am eating some more crow. Warning should definitely be in order from Lot. Some of the downtown and lakefront webcams are impressive .

[ChiTownWeather]

Good lake enhancement occurring from Kenosha to cook counties right now. Definitely looks like May have been my biggest storm since jan 4-5 one

[6789]

I think LOT should upgrade to warning if this continues.  Snow is piling up with huge dendrites and the wind is becoming a factor right now.

I don't know why they haven't I have 5" with heavy heavy snow coming down. 

[dubuque473]

Just over an inch here but with the snow blowing around I probably will end up shoveling 13 times.

[East Dubzz]

Just over an inch here but with the snow blowing around I probably will end up shoveling 13 times.

Lol, gotta love it. Not really enough to make us that happy with the amount, but enough to make us have to work on it once or twice lol.

[DominicR]

Ohare should make it 6 inches. Would not be surprised to see 7-8 reports near the Lake. I did well to. Close to 6 inches. Maybe another half inch or inch if we get lucky.

[Geos]

Looking like about 4.2" here. Looks like a rough drive this morning. Still snowing.

[BrianJK]

Good morning.  Looks like 5"-7" will be common reports across the area.  Roads are a mess so be careful out there.

[Niko]

White -Out conditions here folks. Snowfall rates of at least 2 to 3 inches an hr. and have received so far 6.4inches and still counting. Drifts as high as over a foot. Incredible out there right now. I am surprised that Im still under a Winter Weather Advisory. This should be a Winterstorm WARNING.

[Sciascia]

ORD reported 5.0 inches as of 6am.

[tbone8]

I don't know how much snow we got, but its bad here in Michigan City.

[East Dubzz]

1" here...A little disappointed, but I guess that is what I predicted. I can't believe you guys over in Chicago managed to get that much, it's just your year.