Blowing and drifting snow cause hazardous driving conditions

 

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued for all of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin beginning Tuesday at 9pm and lasting through Wednesday afternoon and evening (depending on location).  The advisory issued not because of the snow we are expecting Tuesday night, but because of the impacts of blowing and drifting snow from the increasing wind.

Southerly winds have been blustery for much of

Tuesday afternoon.  And while that helped bring temperatures into the low 30s, wind chills remained in the upper teens and low 20s.  Blowing and drifting snow has been reported on east/west roads throughout the afternoon, worsening as the sun has set and wind speeds have increased.  There has even been some drifting reported on north/south roads.

South winds will gust to around 30 mph through
Midnight, or a little after, until a cold front comes through.  Temperatures will remain in the low 30s during that time, but then quickly tumble once the front passes.  This will pull temperatures down quickly down into the teens by sunrise Wednesday, with temperatures actually falling into the afternoon.  Wind speeds will increase even further once the front passes, gusting close to 40-45 mph Wednesday morning and early afternoon.  Deteriorating road conditions, first on east/west roads tonight and then north/south roads Wednesday, will cause hazardous and slick travel through the morning commute, especially in open and rural areas.  Near white-out conditions may also occur in opens area through the day.  Be prepared for rapidly changing weather and road conditions!

Wind chills will also drop, remaining below zero through Wednesday afternoon, Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon.  While the wind is expected to lighten up Thursday and Friday, wind chills Thursday morning could reach near -20 degrees, and then -25 degrees Friday morning.  Frostbite with those wind chill temperatures can occur within 20-30 minutes.

Warmer Tuesday, Winter Weather Advisory Goes Into Effect Tonight

Feeling Like Winter:

Winter was in full force on Monday as the day started out with our first sub-zero temperatures reading of the winter season. Despite plenty of sun and a breeze out of the south/southwest, highs Monday afternoon failed to climb out of the teens. 

In fact, our observed high of 18° landed 12-degree below our normal high for January 3rd. With the continuation of these warm southerly winds, we'll see a significant uptick in the temperature department for our Tuesday. On the flip side however, this warm-up is very short-lived. 

Much Warmer Tuesday:

Tuesday begins with plenty of sunshine. But, as an area of high pressure tracks away from the Stateline, clouds are expected to gather up this afternoon. Despite the increase in cloud cover, a well-organized breeze out of the south will help our temperatures climb out of the chilly teens and into the low 30s by this afternoon. 

Guidance continues to keep our weather dry into tonight, with a few flurries and snow showers popping up after midnight. This is all in response to our next storm system that tracks in late Tuesday night into Wednesday. Unlike our last snow-maker, this one won't nearly have as much moisture to work with, resulting in little to no accumulations. With that being said, an increasing wind may blow some of that snow on the roadways, making for hazardous travel.

Winter Weather Advisory

For that reason, the National Weather Service placed all of our counties under a Winter Weather Advisory earlier this morning. This advisory will be in effect at 9PM this evening, lasting until 6PM Wednesday. Following a cold front Wednesday morning, winds will change to the west-northwest, gusting up to 35 to 45 mph at times. Blowing snow can be expected, with the potential for reduced visibilities in open and rural areas.

Arctic Chill Returns:

As another round of cold arctic air rushes in, temperatures will only top out in the mid to upper teens early in the day, only to slowly fall during the afternoon hours. Thursday and Friday won't be as windy, but will certainly be even colder. 

High temperatures will drop back into the teens, with overnight lows dipping as low as 5° Thursday night into early Friday morning! It' safe to say that you'll want to plan on bundling up each and every morning for the remainder of the work week.

Increasing winds push wind chills down below zero by the middle of the week

 

Southerly winds are forecast to increase during the day Tuesday, gusting at times to 25 mph.  While this will help bring temperatures into the low 30s for the afternoon, wind chills will remain in the 20s.  Cloud cover will also be on the increase, leave us with a mostly cloudy sky by Tuesday night.

Strengthening low pressure in the Upper Midwest Tuesday will pull a cold front through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois early Wednesday.  Behind the cold front temperatures will come crashing down throughout the day, falling into the low teens by the late afternoon.

The combination of the strengthening low with the arrival of the Arctic air mass early Wednesday will cause winds to gust 35-40 mph early Wednesday, and remain between 30-35 mph throughout the afternoon.

High temperatures on Wednesday will most likely be achieved around Midnight as temperatures are expected to fall throughout the afternoon, down into the upper single digits by Wednesday evening.  Wind chills will also fall, starting out on either side of zero

degrees in the morning, dropping below zero by the afternoon.  Sub-zero wind chills are then expected to continue through Friday afternoon before southerly winds bring temperatures back up near 30 degrees by Saturday.

Multiple Days in the Teens & Twenties Slated for the Upcoming Work Week

Winter In Full Force:

It's beginning to look and feel more like winter across the Stateline thanks to Saturday's potent winter storm. Following a day where 4.8" was observed at the airport, very cold air rushing in limited our highs to the upper teens/low 20s Sunday afternoon. 

For those heading back into their normal daily routines, winter's bite looks to stick around for much of the upcoming work week. 

Bitterly Cold Monday:

Clear skies, calm surface winds, and all of that fresh snow out there have allowed temperatures to bottom out into Monday morning. 

Temps early on have fallen below the 0° mark. The one thing that we do have going for us is that our winds are light, allowing wind chills to remain relatively close to our temperatures. Long story short, bundle up in multiple layers before you plan on stepping out the door this morning.

An area of high pressure to the south will bring a sun-filled day to the area. That, combined with a southerly to southwesterly breeze ordinarily would result in milder temperatures, but that won’t be the case this go around. 

Despite plenty of sunshine, the fresh snow on the ground will help reflect much of the warmth back into space, resulting in highs in the upper teens and low 20s. Sunshine kicks off our Tuesday, with clouds gathering up as we head into the afternoon. With the help of these southwest winds will push our high temperatures back about normal before another big drop happens by midweek.

Chill Returns Midweek:

Another cold front sliding through Wednesday morning will allow another rush of cold air to occur from the northwest. Highs will fall from the low 30s to the low 20s by Wednesday, then to the teens for Thursday and Friday. Overnight lows will be back in the single-digits and below-zero.

During this stretch, skies look to remain cloudy for the most part, with a few flurries passing through from time to time. Our best shot at snow comes late Friday into Friday night as clipper system dives into the area from the northwest. Thankfully, we get a break from any significant snowfall as chances remain very low in the long run.

Bitter cold temperatures expected Monday morning

 

Temperatures Sunday night are falling quickly under a mostly clear sky, light wind and freshly fallen snow.  Many locations have dropped into the low single digits, with sub-zero readings across NW Illinois and just west of the Mississippi River.

High pressure settling in over northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin will keep winds fairly light through the night, but help push temperatures down below zero by Monday morning.  The forecast low

for Rockford is -5 degrees.  While the winds should remain light for much of the night, even the slightest breeze will help push wind chills down to around -10 degrees, to -15 degrees, by morning.  Make sure you layer up, especially during the day, bringing temperatures into the low 20s Monday afternoon.  Wind chills during the day will remain in the upper single digits and low teens.

Snowfall totals from Saturday afternoon

 

Snowfall totals from Saturday afternoon ranged between 3-6 inches across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, with Rockford officially picking up 4.8 inches.  Higher snow totals were recorded close to Lake Michigan thanks to a little more lake enhancement.

The snow remained fairly steady for much of the afternoon and early evening Saturday before tapering off a bit Saturday night.  Flurries continued into Sunday morning with mostly clear skies that followed throughout the afternoon.  High temperatures Sunday remained in the teens, to right around 20 degrees.  Snow chances are on the lower end for the first full week of January, but a few flurries and light snow showers are possible Wednesday and Thursday as low pressure moves across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. 

Winter Storm Warning Now In Effect, Travel Impacts Very Likely

Winter Weather Alerts: 

Happy New Year folks! The main headline of course as we ring in 2022 is the likelihood of us seeing our first winter storm of the season.

As of early Saturday morning, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Dekalb, Ogle, Lee, Carroll, and Whiteside Counties have been placed under a Winter Storm Warning that will remain in effect until midnight tonight. For our other counties, including Jo Daviess and Stephenson Counties in northern Illinois along with Green, Rock and Walworth Counties in southern Wisconsin, a Winter Weather Advisory has been issued until 3AM Sunday morning.

Timing & Snow Totals:

New Year's Day looks to start off dry with cloudy skies. However, snow will quickly stream into the region from the southwest by the late-morning hours. The heaviest and steadiest snowfall, where we could see snowfall rates as high as 1"/hr, looks to fall between 1PM-8PM. 

At the beginning stages of the event, the snow will fall as a heavy, wet, and dense snow. As this potent storm system's moisture supply begins to run out, we'll see the snow become more flaky, light, and fluffy in nature. 

Guidance continues to keep a chance for snow showers into Saturday night, with chances fully coming to a close by early Sunday morning. Snowfall amounts for most will end up in the range of 4"-7", with areas to the north and west of Rockford ending up with less snow. 

Areas along the western and southern shorelines of Lake Michigan will see the potential for more snow from this event thanks to lake-enhancement. Now, regardless of what falls, be sure that you're ready for the impacts the snow will have on travel.

Travel Impacts Likely:

IF you must be on the roads today, the earlier the better. By this afternoon, the combination of the steady snow and the breezy northeasterly to northerly wind will make anyone's travel plans rather difficult. If there is no way of altering your travel plans, give yourself a lot of extra time and drive at a much slower speed.

With winds gusting between 30-40 mph at times, blowing and drifting snow will likely result in near-whiteout conditions, especially in rural areas. Travel impacts will more than likely carry on into the early stages of Sunday as roads will likely still be slippery and salty in spots. Conditions clear out rather quickly, with Sunday featuring plenty of sunshine.

Coldest Air of the Season:

However, the coldest air of the season is expected to filter in on the backside of today's potent storm system, allowing temperatures to plummet. 

Overnight lows Saturday night will fall into the single-digits, with wind chills values ending up below 0°. It's expected to get even colder Sunday night into Monday morning as temperatures are expected to fall below 0°. While it does look like our temperatures will quickly climb back towards average by Tuesday, another drop in temperatures can be expected late next week. But for those that have been waiting for winter to arrive, here ya go!