Green grass with no snow cover at 8:00 a.m. Friday, December 31, 2010.
The snow cover melted to zero cover between 9 p.m. and midnight Thursday, December 30, 2010, except for areas piled up from snow removal. The the air temperature ranged 48°F to 49°F between 9 p.m. and midnight Thursday. Temperatures ranged 50°F to 51°F from midnight to 4:00 a.m. on Friday, December 31, 2010. The air temperature has been above freezing since just after 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 29, 2010 when the snow cover was just under 9 inches. That’s 9″ to 0″ in 36 hours.
December 31, 2010 marked the last day for the occurrence of lightning and thunder in Arlington Heights. A thundershower rolled through the area starting at 6:23 a.m. Friday.
Radar at 6:23 a.m. Friday, December 31, 2010.
The storm system brought tornados to the southwest of Chicagoland with three people reported killed in northwest Arkansas.
Janice Dean, Fox News weather warns of tornado warnings in Arkansas, Missouri and southwest Central Illinois.
Temperatures Friday New Year’s Eve should hold in the 50’s until about 5 p.m. and then drop to below freezing about 5 a.m. New Year’s Day, and continue to a low in the teens overnight Saturday to Sunday.
FORECAST AT 8:45 AM FRIDAY DECEMBER 31, 2010
Today: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Areas of fog before 3pm. High near 53. South wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight: Rain likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 9pm, then a chance of rain between 9pm and midnight. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 27. Breezy, with a south southwest wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
New Year’s Day: Partly sunny, with a temperature falling to around 25 by 9am. Breezy, with a west southwest wind between 20 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. Wind chill values as low as -1. Breezy, with a west wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 23. West wind between 10 and 15 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19.