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weather.gov/lot/winter | Recent Snowfall Reports
NWS CHICAGO Area Forecast Discussion
INTERACTIVE FORECAST
WPC Probabilistic Winter Precipitation Guidance
PRECIPITATION HISTORY
Snowfall Reports Map
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Arlington Heights [Near Heritage Park]
Chicago O’Hare [41.995°, -87.9336°]
The Cardinal Snowfall articles
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ncdc.noaa.gov/snow-and-ice/daily-snow
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weather.gov/lot/snowclimatology
LOCAL PRECIP …
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WARNINGS
Blizzard Warnings are issued for frequent gusts greater than or equal to 35 mph accompanied by falling and/or blowing snow, frequently reducing visibility to less than 1/4 mile for three hours or more. A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely, leading to whiteout conditions making travel extremely difficult. Do not travel. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle and wait for help to arrive.
Winter Storm Warnings are issued for a significant winter weather event including snow, ice, sleet or blowing snow or a combination of these hazards. Travel will become difficult or impossible in some situations. Delay your travel plans until conditions improve.
Ice Storm Warnings are usually issued for ice accumulation of around 1/4 inch or more. This amount of ice accumulation will make travel dangerous or impossible and likely lead to snapped power lines and falling tree branches. Travel is strongly discouraged.
Wind Chill Warnings are issued for a combination of very cold air and strong winds that will create dangerously low wind chill values. This level of wind chill will result in frostbite and lead to hypothermia if precautions are not taken. Avoid going outdoors and wear warm protective clothing if you must venture outside. See the NWS Wind Chill Chart.
Lake Effect Snow Warnings are issued when widespread or localized lake induced snow squalls or heavy showers are expected to produce significant snowfall accumulation. Lake effect snow usually develops in narrow bands and impacts a limited area. These bands can produce very heavy snow with sudden restrictions in visibility. Driving conditions may become hazardous at times.
Ice Storm Warning
An Ice Storm Warning is issued when freezing precipitation is expected with 1/4 inch or more of ice accumulation.
Ice Storm Warnings are generally issued 12 to 24 hours prior to the expected start of the event. There are no Ice Storm Watches.
Freezing Rain Advisory
A Freezing Rain Advisory is issued when freezing precipitation is expected, however ice accumulations are anticipated to be less than 1/4 inch.
These are generally issued 12 to 24 hours prior to the expected start of the event. There are no Freezing Rain Watches or Warnings.
Winter Weather Advisory
Hazardous winter weather conditions are occurring, imminent or likely. Conditions will cause a significant inconvenience and if caution is not exercised, will result in a potential threat to life and/or property. The generic term, winter weather advisory, is used for a combination of two or more of the following events; snow, freezing rain or drizzle, sleet, blowing snow.
Sterling Virginia Example
A Winter Weather Advisory will be issued when 2 to 4 inches of snow, alone or in combination with sleet and freezing rain, is expected to cause a significant inconvenience, but not serious enough to warrant a warning.
In some cities, if the event is expected to impact the metro areas during rush hours (4-9 am or 2-7 pm on weekdays) forecasted snow totals of one inch will necessitate the issuance of a winter weather advisory.
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Local Temperatures
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US Temperatures
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SNOW RATIOS
By National Weather Service, LaCrosse, Wisconsin
Fluffy snows are expected today and tonight, producing accumulations with very little water. Commonly, the percentage of water to snow is called the “snow ratio”. An old rule of thumb was that for every 10 inches of snow, there would be 1 inch of water (10:1). However, this is far from the norm, and recent studies indicate that a 12:1 ratio might be more representative (on average) for the Upper Midwest. This said, there are so many variables that can affect the ratio of liquid water to snow that using a rule of thumb is usually off the mark. In fact, the snow ratios can change dramatically within a snow event itself. Some of the variables that come into play include…
Depth of the warm layer from the surface into the snow producing cloud. The warmer it is (closer to freezing), the lower the ratio will be.
Amount of ice in the snow producing cloud. If there is more super cooled water droplets in the cloud, snow ratios will be lower. If there is a higher amount of ice crystals, snow ratios will be higher.
If its windy, snowflakes can fracture, losing their “lacy” structure and leading to lower accumulations (lower snow ratios).
Deep cold, in general, promotes higher snow ratios.
With the very cold air in place across the region at this time, snow ratios today and tonight closer to 20 to 1 are expected, athough they could be higher.
