Doesn't look too good for snow lovers

The Climate Prediction Center has released the latest January outlook and it doesn't look too good for all the snow lovers out there.  Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin hold about a 40% chance of having above average temperatures during the month of January and a slight chance of above average precipitation.  Now that's doesn't mean we won't experience a few cold outbreaks, but the month overall appears to remain mild.

As mentioned in previous posts, the NAO has been positive and unfortunately looks to stay that way.  There doesn't appear to be any major big pattern changes in the works to break this down.  We're also lacking in significant snow accumulation across the lower Midwest and Great Lakes.  Storms will tend to track where the greatest temperature gradient lies.  In the winter the snow pack can sometimes provide that with the colder temperatures over the snow and the warmer temperatures where the snow is lacking.  With no major snow packs around our area we really haven't set up that temperature gradient so storms may be more prone to a northward track keeping the Great Lakes on the milder side.