Today’s snow accumulation forecast depends on cooling of the atmosphere as the snow starts to fall. Snow or sleet is not likely to accumulate initially. Snow, sleet and rain is likely to begin falling by about 9:00 a.m., but significant snow is not expected to begin accumulating until noon or later. About 4.9 inches of snow is expected to accumulate by midnight tonight. About 5.7 inches of snow is expected to accumulate in Arlington Heights by noon tomorrow. About 6.5 inches of snow is expected to accumulate in Arlington Heights by noon Thursday. Some thunder may be heard from about 9:00 a.m. until noon. Snow is forecast to start to taper off at about 5:00 p.m., but light snow is expected to continue overnight through Wednesday and into Thursday.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
230 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2013
WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE IL-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK-
LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…ROCKFORD…BELVIDERE…WOODSTOCK…
WAUKEGAN…OREGON…DIXON…DEKALB…AURORA…WHEATON…CHICAGO…
OTTAWA…OSWEGO…MORRIS…JOLIET
230 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2013
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CST
THIS EVENING…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CST THIS EVENING. THE WINTER STORM WATCH
IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
* TIMING…RAIN OR WET SNOW…POSSIBLY MIXED WITH A BIT OF
SLEET…WILL DEVELOP BY EARLY AFTERNOON WITH PRECIPITATION
LIKELY TO TRANSITION TO ALL WET SNOW THIS AFTERNOON WITH SNOW
CONTINUING INTO THE EARLY EVENING. SNOW MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES.
* SNOW ACCUMULATION…THERE REMAINS A HIGH DEGREE OF UNCERTAINTY
WITH RESPECT TO SNOW ACCUMULATION…HOWEVER BEST GUESS AT THIS
TIME IS THAT 3 TO LOCALLY 6 INCHES OF SNOW WILL HAVE FALLEN BY
LATE EVENING ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE
OF ISOLATED THUNDERSNOW WHICH COULD RESULT IN ISOLATED TOTALS
OVER 6 INCHES.
* MAIN IMPACT…HEAVY WIND WHIPPED WET SNOW IS EXPECTED THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING RESULTING IN VERY LOW VISIBILITIES AND
DIFFICULT TRAVEL. WINDS MAY GUST AS HIGH AS 40 MPH…ESPECIALLY
NEAR THE LAKE. HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE LATE
AFTERNOON COMMUTE…SO PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING SHOULD ANTICIPATE SIGNIFICANTLY ELEVATED TRAVEL
TIMES.
* OTHER IMPACTS…SNOWFALL RATES OF IN EXCESS OF AN INCH PER HOUR
COULD OCCUR…PARTICULARLY WITH ANY ISOLATED THUNDERSNOW THAT
OCCURS. TRAVEL THROUGH CHICAGO O`HARE AND MIDWAY AIRPORTS COULD
BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED. THIS WILL LIKELY BE A HEAVY WET
SNOW…SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS HEART ATTACK SNOW. DUE TO THE
WEIGHT OF THE SNOW CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED TO NOT OVER EXERT
YOURSELF WHEN SHOVELING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
Accumulation Forecasts by Midnight …
Barrington … 4.8 inches
Glenview … 4.8 inches
Joliet … 4.4 inches
Lake Forest … 4.9 inches
Orland Park … 3.7 inches
Rockford … 4.2 inches
Schaumburg … 4.7 inches
Waukegan … 4.8 inches
Wheaton … 4.6 inches
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