Wednesday morning weather update

2:15 pm Update:  A second band of snow has developed and will continue to move through the remainder of the afternoon.  Temperatures are slightly cooler than what they were early this morning so we may be able to fluff up an additional inch or two.  Roads may become slick tonight once the temperature drops, especially with some of the slush we now have around.  Take it easy if you're out this evening or early tomorrow morning.

(1:28:20 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS MKX: Edgerton [Rock Co, WI] trained spotter reports SNOW of M4.8 INCH at 01:22 PM CST -- storm total so far. snow covered roads.

(1:42:16 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS MKX: Milton [Rock Co, WI] nws employee reports SNOW of M4.0 INCH at 01:42 PM CST --

(1:55:01 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS MKX: Milton [Rock Co, WI] public reports SNOW of E4.0 INCH at 01:48 PM CST -- storm total so far. relayed by broadcast media.

(1:29:16 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: 6 SSE Council Hill [Jo Daviess Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M5.0 INCH at 01:29 PM CST -- so far.

(1:21:54 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: SSW Scales Mound [Jo Daviess Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M6.5 INCH at 01:15 PM CST -- total so far. received another 2 inches since last report. still snowing.

(1:14:17 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: NE Roscoe [Winnebago Co, IL] trained spotter reports SNOW of M2.0 INCH at 01:11 PM CST --

(1:25:32 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: 4 NW Rockford [Winnebago Co, IL] co-op observer reports SNOW of M1.3 INCH at 01:25 PM CST -- 1 inch on ground. water equivalent 0.28.

With the exception of a few flurries, the snow has ended for the time being.  There is a second band that has developed just west of the Mississippi River and will continue to rotate east through the afternoon.  Additional snowfall totals will be small but temperatures should be at least right around 30°/upper 20s by the time this moves in.  If this band holds together we may be able to fluff up another inch or two.

(11:32:07 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: 3 NE Winnebago [Winnebago Co, IL] broadcast media reports SNOW of M1.5 INCH at 11:30 AM CST -- snow total thus far at wtvo

(10:59:50 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS MKX: Edgerton [Rock Co, WI] trained spotter reports SNOW of M4.0 INCH at 10:35 AM CST -- storm total snow. 1.8 inches fell in the past hour. moderate snow currently falling. snow covered roads.

10:35 am Update:  Moderate snow continues to fall across southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.  However, further south towards Dixon, Rochelle, Sterling and DeKalb hardly any snow has fallen.  A weak area of low pressure sits just to the southeast of Rockford.  As I mentioned earlier a dry slot has developed on the southern edge of the low and this is quickly moving into northern Illinois basically ending any snowfall there.  Due to this feature and the fact that the snow is heavy and wet (temperatures right now are in the low 30s)  totals this afternoon may be reduced.  It's still enough to cause slick travel today and the visibility has dropped to half a mile where there is moderate snow occurring.  Snowfall totals will likely range right around 3"due to the dry-slot with slightly higher amounts west of Rockford

(9:24:12 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: Dixon [Lee Co, IL] emergency mngr reports SLEET of U0.00 INCH at 09:22 AM CST -- rain changing to sleet

9:15 am Update: Snow is falling and sticking to roads west of Rockford in Monroe, Freeport and Forreston.  A mix of sleet/snow/rain is occurring in Rockford with rain still falling in Rochelle.  If the transition hasn't occurred yet it soon will.  I've received several reports of heavy snow falling in Freeport with traffic moving slowly on Rt. 26 through Cedarville. 

A mix of sleet and snow has already begun for Monroe, Freeport and Forreston early this morning as a second low pressure system moves just to the south of Rockford.  Further north and west the snow has been falling where reports of 1" to 4" have already occurred back in Iowa.  As this second low moves east of Chicago mid-morning the cold air will continue to move in changing any drizzle or a sleet/drizzle/snow mix over to all snow around 9am/10am.  Once the snow starts to fall, it will increase in intensity through Noon before tapering off by 5pm.  A heavy, wet snow will fall initial until the temperature drops below 32°.  Winds will also increase as the snow occurs which will reduce visibility for a time late this morning and early afternoon.

 A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Rock and Walworth counties in Wisconsin and for Winnebago, Boone, Ogle and Whiteside counties in Illinois.  A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Green County in Wisconsin and for Stephenson, Jo Daviess and Carroll counties in Illinois.  Locations north and west of Rockford will likely see the heaviest of the snowfall.  So this puts locations west of a line from Monroe to Freeport to Mt. Carroll closer to 6".  Areas east and southeast will receive less...generally 3"-6".  Places like DeKalb, Sycamore, Genoa, Kingston, Paw Paw, Ashton and Franklin Grove may end up on the lower end as the heaviest snow band sets up just to the north and west.  Since we had 60 degree weather and over an inch of rain yesterday the snow may melt initially on contact before accumulating.  Also, a dry-slot has developed and is moving into western Illinois.  This may cut back on snow totals for this afternoon.  Something we'll watch fairly closely this morning!