First Snow of the Season Proves to be A Major One for Many

*****SNOW STORM REPORTS FOUND UNDER UPDATES*****

1:30pm Update:  Back edge of the snow west of Rockford, with one final heavy band pulling through.  Snowfall amounts through this evening have been quite impressive - totals adding up to a foot and a half!  What an intense first season snow.  Winds will remain a little gusty into the afternoon, so blowing and drifting will remain a concern in the open areas.  Take it slow today if you have to be out.  Even though the snow is ending, roads are still going to be a mess. 

Temperatures are going to drop fast tonight.  So anything that isn't shoveled or plowed will probably turn to ice.  Slick road conditions will last into tonight and Sunday morning.  Meteorologist Tyler Sebree will be in later this afternoon with an update on snow totals, as well as the cold. 

12:05pm Update: Last band of moderate to heavy snow pulling through Rock, Winnebago, Ogle, Lee and Whiteside counties.  Visibility has gradually been improving west of that line as the snow is ending.

The Winter Storm Warning has been canceled for Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll and Whiteside counties.  However it continues for Winnebago, Boone, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Green, Rock and Walworth counties until 3pm.  It's possible this may be canceled early as the heavies snow shifts east.

Chicago NWS

11:45am Update: While you'll find snow totals at the bottom of this post, here is a preliminary list of observed snowfall totals as of 8am.  Now, some of those numbers may be slightly higher with additional moderate snowfall coming through, but notice the counties along and north of Highway 20 and how snowfall observations have been generally over 8".  Also, totals adding up to over one foot of snow can be observed north of Rockford in northern Winnebago & Boone counties, as well as in southern Wisconsin.  This matches up very nicely with what Meteorologist Tyler Sebree had in his forecast for snowfall amounts late Friday evening.

10:45am Update: Heavy snow band east (right) of the white line - so from Janesville, southwest to Freeport.  After that, conditions will improve but likely won't be until early afternoon.

Growing a little concerned that with the weight on the trees this morning and the wind increasing from the north, we could begin to see some smaller branches break off.  Be mindful of that if you're out shoveling or in the snow.  And let us know if that does occur.  Especially in areas that have experienced snowfall amounts in the double digits.

10:00am Update: Visibility is improving ever so slightly out west near Galena as lighter snow has developed along the back edge of this storm.  However, it remains near half a mile everywhere else where still some bouts of heavy snow continue (darker blue showing up on radar).  Winds have also increased from the north, with blowing and drifting snow become a major concern in the open & rural areas.

9:45am Update: Visibility area wide remains under one mile.  Especially under the heavier snow bands.  The system is ever so slowly pulling east this morning, but as the surface low pressure continues to pull through central and southern Illinois, intense lift in the atmosphere has allowed the heavier snow bands to continue this morning.  Many areas north of Highway 20 are reporting snowfall amounts in the 13" to 14" range, while south of there reports have come in between 4" and 6".









8:30am Update: Road conditions are quickly deteriorating as bands of heavy snow move through northwest Illinois.  If you don't have to be out on the roads, don't.   Click here for updates on road conditions in Illinois. 

Click here for road conditions in Wisconsin.

Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin through Saturday afternoon.

I'll be the first to admit I am very impressed with the snow totals coming out of this storm! First, from the very heavy convective bands of snow that produced double digit totals late Friday evening, to just how much strength and energy this system has.

There has been quite a range in snow totals from north to south early this morning, but with heavier snow bands beginning to fill in and the snow turning lighter and a little more fluffy, those numbers to the south of Rockford should begin to add up.

Visibility has dropped in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin and our Eyewitness News Director Scott Picken says the snow is really starting to stick to the roads, making it harder to plow and making it more dangerous to be out on the roads.  So, if you don't have to be out this morning it's best to just stay indoors.
















(12:26:51 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: 2 ESE Ridott [Stephenson Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M9.0 INCH at 11:15 AM CST --

(12:26:51 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: 4 WSW Loran [Jo Daviess Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M8.8 INCH at 11:15 AM CST --

(12:27:13 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: Freeport [Stephenson Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M16.0 INCH at 12:25 PM CST -- event total.


(12:08:38 PM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: Rockford Airport [Winnebago Co, IL] official nws obs reports SNOW of M8.6 INCH at 12:00 PM CST --

(11:45:02 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: NE Roscoe [Winnebago Co, IL] public reports HEAVY SNOW of M16.0 INCH at 11:30 AM CST -- relayed via social media

(11:17:14 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: 2 N Sterling [Whiteside Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M6.0 INCH at 11:12 AM CST --

(10:02:53 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: De Kalb [Dekalb Co, IL] trained spotter reports SNOW of M4.5 INCH at 10:01 AM CST --


(9:57:55 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: 5 S Freeport [Stephenson Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of E6.0 INCH at 09:52 AM CST -- blowing and drifting snow. average of multiple measurements.

(8:48:45 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS MKX: 1 N Janesville [Rock Co, WI] co-op observer reports HEAVY SNOW of M11.5 INCH at 07:13 AM CST -- co-op observer station argyle /argw3/

(9:04:11 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS MKX: 5 SE Footville [Rock Co, WI] co-op observer reports HEAVY SNOW of M12.5 INCH at 20 Nov, 10:45 PM CST -- storm total for the previous 5 hours. roads are snow covered.

(7:19:17 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: Ashton [Lee Co, IL] cocorahs reports SNOW of M4.4 INCH at 06:30 AM CST --

(7:19:17 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: 2 ESE Roscoe [Winnebago Co, IL] cocorahs reports HEAVY SNOW of M11.7 INCH at 06:30 AM CST --

(7:25:18 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: 8 NW Rockford [Winnebago Co, IL] broadcast media reports HEAVY SNOW of M9.8 INCH at 07:18 AM CST

(8:10:01 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: Capron [Boone Co, IL] cocorahs reports HEAVY SNOW of M14.6 INCH at 07:00 AM CST --


(8:52:42 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS LOT: Mount Morris [Ogle Co, IL] public reports SNOW of M6.5 INCH at 08:33 AM CST -- relayed via social media

(8:31:07 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: Freeport [Stephenson Co, IL] nws employee reports HEAVY SNOW of M10.0 INCH at 08:28 AM CST -- lsx nws employee.

(8:32:33 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: NNW Milledgeville [Carroll Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M4.1 INCH at 08:00 AM CST -- snowfall total so fa

(8:51:08 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: SW Mount Carroll [Carroll Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M6.0 INCH at 08:50 AM CST --

(8:58:12 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: 3 NNE Stockton [Jo Daviess Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M10.0 INCH at 08:57 AM CST -- snowing hard at 815 am. 25 mph wind gust. blowing snow

(9:31:08 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: 1 E Freeport [Stephenson Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M11.0 INCH at 09:28 AM CST --

(9:33:16 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: 1 ESE Nora [Jo Daviess Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of E12.0 INCH at 09:31 AM CST --

(9:36:23 AM) nwsbot: Local Storm Report by NWS DVN: Freeport [Stephenson Co, IL] trained spotter reports HEAVY SNOW of M14.0 INCH at 09:35 AM CST -- snowfall total so far.