The ensemble for 3 weeks ago looked just like this.

The NAM and Euro keep some light snow going. No real break in the action.

I gotta check Tom more. Basically forgot about him after he retired.

Tom Skilling just posted to FB CHICAGO SNOW ENTHUSIASTS might be interested in the jet stream structure being predicted by some models---one which has Chicago situated in maximum "lift" regions of two jet streams. This could produce a snowfall distribution very different than the one currently laid out by some other models--one which could mean more snow for Chicago and areas close-by than currently predicted. This is VERY PRELIMINARY--but worth watching. Were the prediction of so-called "coupling" of jet stream wind maxima to hold, it could suggest snow may be coming even farther north than is currently being advertised. There's time to monitor this---but it's quite interesting.

Guess it depends on what you consider troughing. That ridge looks cleaner, but of course it's an ensemble mean...