Instead of pink and red, we will be seeing a white Valentine's Day this year courtesy of a storm system currently getting its act together in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. Our current radar as of 8 PM shows a band of snow already stretching from Souix Falls, South Dakota to Des Moines, Iowa to Southern Illinois. The atmosphere is still relatively dry over the Stateline, which is why the clouds are having a tough time moving into the region. However, as we head through the night and into Sunday morning, the atmosphere will slowly saturate. As a result, clouds will thicken tonight and light snow showers are possible as early as 4-6 AM Sunday morning.
The bulk of the snow will fall from late morning into early evening. During this time, the snow will be light to moderate at times, and it should be falling at a relatively constant rate. With winds picking up during the day, blowing snow and reduced visibility could be an issue at times.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for DeKalb, Winnebago, Boone, Lee, and Ogle Counties from 9 AM to midnight Sunday. The advisory is in effect for Rock and Green Counties from 6 AM until 9 PM. The advisory is effective for Jo Daviess, Carroll, Whiteside, and Stephenson Counties from 3 AM to 6 PM Sunday. The reason behind the differing times is due to when the snow is expected to move in and move out.
In terms of accumulations, models are in pretty good agreement with a general 2-4" across much of the viewing area. However, with the snow expected to fluffy and light, totals could be more in the 3-5" range, especially to the south and west of Rockford. Areas to the east, such as McHenry, Walworth and Belvidere could see 1-3" with 4" not impossible.
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