UPDATED ARTICLE : The current weather model includes Arlington Heights in an area with a forecast of 6.8 inches of heavy, wet snow. Rockford is in line for 5.7 inches. Orland Park is in line for 6.4 inches. Wheaton is in line for 6.9 inches of snow. However, a lack of enough cold air in the forecast area or in the entire Great Lakes area, could result in less snow accumulation. The warm air may also dry out (occlude) the system that is approaching, resulting in two factors that would negate this system as a major snow producer.
Monday, with its sunny skies, is turning out warmer than expected, but that does not mean, by itself, that there will be diminished snow accumulation tomorrow. The air seems ripe for significant precipitation, but temperature predictions for tomorrow are currently unreliable.
The low pressure system is intensifying as it approaches. As it gets close and passes it is expected to bring strong northeast winds, which could bring additional lake effect snow to areas near the Lake Michigan shoreline.
A Winter Storm Warning has already been posted for Macomb, IL, Galesburg, IL and Quincy, IL.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
412 AM CST MON FEB 25 2013
…POTENTIALLY HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS TO AFFECT NORTHERN IL
ON TUESDAY…
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
412 AM CST MON FEB 25 2013
…WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING
THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING…
* TIMING…SNOW…POSSIBLY MIXED WITH SLEET INITIALLY…BEGINS
TUESDAY MORNING AND CONTINUES HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH TUESDAY
AFTERNOON BEFORE TAPERING TO LIGHTER SNOW TUESDAY EVENING.
* SNOW ACCUMULATION…LOCAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OVER 6 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WATCH AREA.
* MAIN IMPACT…HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG EAST NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTING
TO 40 MPH…ESPECIALLY NEAR THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE…WILL
REDUCE VISIBILITY AND MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
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