Chicago Blizzard Watch!

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iheart707
Posts: 189
Joined: 07 Mar 2010, 22:39

Chicago Blizzard Watch!

Post by iheart707 »

Image

Ok, it might not be as much as 1943, but at least I have your attention now.... =)

Chicago will be a fun place to fly into in the next few days! Here's the latest from NOAA.

Remember that Weather data becomes old quickly, so please check NOAA or this link for the latest info.
http://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.p ... zard+Watch


===================================

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
845 PM CST SUN JAN 30 2011

...MAJOR WINTER STORM TO IMPACT THE REGION TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY...

.THE FIRST PHASE OF THE UPCOMING WINTER STORM WILL BEGIN MONDAY
AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY MORNING FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM THE
FIRST PHASE ARE EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN 2 AND 4 INCHES ACROSS
THESE AREAS. THE FOCUS THEN TURNS TOWARDS THE LARGER EVENT
BEGINNING TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

A DEVELOPING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO SLIDE EAST OF
THE ROCKIES INTO EASTERN TEXAS MONDAY NIGHT AND RAPIDLY
STRENGTHEN AS IT SLIDES NORTH TUESDAY. THE PRECISE TRACK OF THE
LOW CONTINUES TO VARY SLIGHTLY WITH EACH NEW MODEL RUN...HOWEVER
THE VARIOUS MODELS ARE CONVERGING ON A TRACK FOR THE SURFACE LOW
FROM CENTRAL ARKANSAS TO CENTRAL INDIANA BY WEDNESDAY MORNING.
THIS WOULD PLACE THE AXIS OF THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL TO THE
NORTHWEST OF THE TRACK OF THE LOW PRESSURE...OR ACROSS MUCH OF
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA.

AS THE LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO SLIDE NORTHEAST AND STRENGTHEN...
NORTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND BRING
A FLOW OF COLD AIR ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN...AIDING IN THE
GENERATION OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW TUESDAY EVENING. WINDS WILL
CONTINUE TO RAMP UP WITH SUSTAINED WINDS TUESDAY EVENING BETWEEN
25 AND 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH POSSIBLE. NORTHEAST WINDS
THEN CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY MORNING
WEDNESDAY WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE. THIS...IN COMBINATION
WITH THE FALLING SNOW...MAY CREATE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AND WHITE
OUT CONDITIONS. AS THE LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO LIFT INTO
CENTRAL INDIANA WEDNESDAY MORNING...WINDS WILL BEGIN TO TURN
NORTHERLY AND BRING THE LAKE ENHANCED SNOWFALL TO NORTHWEST
INDIANA.

BY LATER WEDNESDAY...THE SNOW FROM THE DEPARTING WINTER STORM
WILL BE WINDING DOWN ACROSS THE AREA...BUT A BAND OF SIGNIFICANT
LAKE EFFECT SNOW IS EXPECTED IN NORTHWEST INDIANA. SEVERAL
INCHES OF ADDITIONAL SNOW ARE POSSIBLE BEFORE THE LAKE EFFECT
SHIFTS FARTHER OFF TO THE EAST INTO SOUTHWESTERN LOWER MICHIGAN
AND NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA.

COMBINED SNOW TOTALS FROM THE MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MAY EXCEED A FOOT AND A HALF ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND
FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA. SNOWFALL RATES UP TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR
WILL BE PROBABLE AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM TUESDAY NIGHT.

THE STORM SYSTEM WILL AFFECT A LARGE PORTION OF THE SOUTHERN
GREAT LAKES...MIDWEST AND OHIO VALLEY REGIONS. ANYONE WITH TRAVEL
PLANS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...INCLUDING THOSE TRAVELING THROUGH
CHICAGO OHARE AND MIDWAY AIRPORTS...SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR
LATER FORECASTS REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS WINTER STORM..

...BLIZZARD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

A BLIZZARD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

* TIMING...HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL SPREAD NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE
AREA MIDDAY TUESDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. AS THE
SNOWFALL FROM THE STORM SYSTEM STARTS TO DIMINISH WEDNESDAY
MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL HAVE
DEVELOPED ON THE ILLINOIS SIDE OF THE LAKE. INCREASINGLY HEAVY
AND MORE CONCENTRATED LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL SHIFT INTO FAR
NORTHWEST INDIANA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND PERSIST INTO
WEDNESDAY EVENING BEFORE SHIFTING FARTHER OFF TO THE EAST INTO
SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA.

* ACCUMULATIONS...TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS FROM MONDAY MORNING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN EXCESS OF 12
INCHES IN NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND IN EXCESS OF 18 INCHES
OVER NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AS WELL AS
NORTHWEST INDIANA. LOCAL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 24 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE IN FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA...DEPENDING ON EXACTLY WHERE
THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND SETS UP AND HOW PERSISTENT IT IS
OVER ANY ONE LOCATION.

* HAZARDS...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WITH CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND
DRIFTING SNOW AND FREQUENT WHITE OUT CONDITIONS.

* IMPACTS...NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TRAVEL CONDITIONS AS SNOW WILL BE
ACCUMULATING AT A RAPID RATE DURING THE PEAK OF THE SNOW STORM
TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW IN
NORTHWEST INDIANA LATER WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY EVENING WILL
CONTINUE TO SNARL TRAVEL THERE.


A BLIZZARD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FALLING AND/OR
BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES.
THIS CAN LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND MAKE TRAVEL VERY
DANGEROUS.
8-)


IFR FUN!!! YAY!!! :D

Now the question is, which airframe do I trust more for conditions like this? Should I fly my Airbus A319, or Boeing 737-300.... Hmmmm... ;)

lbonomo
Posts: 87
Joined: 29 Apr 2010, 01:58

Re: Chicago Blizzard Watch!

Post by lbonomo »

Looks like Chicago is getting slammed :lol:
We're expecting ice storms until late Wednesday here in NY/NJ and it's really icy right. Thank god we're missing the heavy snow, we've seen enough this year!

iheart707
Posts: 189
Joined: 07 Mar 2010, 22:39

Re: Chicago Blizzard Watch!

Post by iheart707 »

Many of you might not know that I live literally on top of the outer marker for KMDW. Because I've lived there my whole life, I have grown accustomed to the familiar sounds of 737's, 717's, DC-9's CRJ-200's, and other planes passing 2,500 feet above our house.

To put the storm in perspective, the winds we currently have sound just like jets flying overhead, however upon a further look at Flight Aware, there are no planes -anywhere. :shock: That's how loud, and that's how strong the winds are from the Northeast right now.

The true fun is coming tomorrow. With more than 2 feet of snow expected, Chicago will look a little more like Toronto, Canada! :o

iheart707
Posts: 189
Joined: 07 Mar 2010, 22:39

Re: Chicago Blizzard Watch!

Post by iheart707 »

Well the snow has melted, but the pictures still remain. I found a picture/video a few weeks ago showing the tremendous snow removal problem at O'hare.

I guess I forgot to post it earlier, better late than never!
http://vimeo.com/20201709

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