Archive for February, 2013

More Snow Covering The U.S. Compared to Last Year

I’m still seeing snow flurries outside!

This comes after 6.1″ on Tuesday and 2.2″ Wednesday officially at the Quad City International Airport, in Moline, Illinois.  That’s 8.3″ from this storm!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

More snow is on the way for Monday and Tuesday, but I’ll have much more on that tomorrow in my blog.

Since I’m heading off to work, I just wanted to share this interesting little comparison with you.

Today, 47.8% of the country is covered by snow compared to 28.6% this time last year.

Now you can go on with your day. 🙂

Anthony

The Snow Is Beautiful, But Spring Is One Day Closer!

There are only two days left in February and I’m going on the record to say that the biggest snow of the season that fell on the Quad Cities Tuesday and Tuesday night is absolutely beautiful.

As I look out the window into the ravine, everything made dull and boring by winter is so artistically blanketed in a thick layer of white.  While it’s beautiful and I’ll enjoy the solitude of it, I’m ready for spring once it melts away!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Ray was able to get out of the snowy Quad Cities this morning on his flight to snowy and foggy Detroit that will hopefully connect him to foggy, then partly sunny and mild Washington D.C. today.  It’s expected to be 57° there later on today.

So, while the weather has dominated my recent blogs (and the views have been high), I’ll dedicate today’s blog to some interesting snow facts and some beautiful pictures of the snow so you can admire for afar if you’re not having to deal with it.  And, then, there will be something new to talk about tomorrow.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Officially, at the Quad City International Airport, in Moline, Illinois, 6.5″ of snow fell Tuesday and early Wednesday morning (6.1″ of that was on Tuesday).  This is easily the biggest snow of the 2012-2013 winter season eclipsing the 4.9″ that fell on December 20, 2012.  Other hometowns nearby have had bigger snows this season, but not at the airport in Moline.

This brings our February total to 11.9″ and our winter total to 21.5″, which is still five inches below where we should be at this point in the winter.

We’ve now had 14 measurable snows this winter (3 in December, 4 in January, and 7 in February).  A measurable snow is 0.1″ or more.  More light snow is expected today.

Of those 14 measurable snows this winter, only six of them have been an inch or more.  The previously mentioned 4.9″ in December, which was that month’s only one inch-plus snow.  Additionally, we had two in January, and three in February.

That’s enough snow talk for one day (and for some of us, for one winter).  Have a great day.  After work, I’m going out to dinner with my sister and them coming home to a quiet house since it’ll just be me and Gretel’s two crazy cats!  Oh, and I’ll enjoy the solitude of the freshly fallen snow.

I’m inspired to read some literary work about snow:

“The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer”

Oh wait, wrong time of the year and it’s going to be cloudy tonight.  Nevertheless, maybe I’ll see some deer walking through the ravine!

Anthony

There’s No Business Like “Snow” Business

ORIGINAL POST:  Tuesday, February 26, 2013, 7:00 a.m.

You’ve heard the expression, stick with your original plan.

That’s what I should have done with the snow today and tomorrow.  As you recall (and, if not, I’ll remind you because you’ve heard all kinds of numbers and it can get confusing), all Sunday through most of Monday, I was calling for 3-5″ of snow for the Quad Cities and 5-7″ southeast of the metro area.  I lowered those projections by just two inches last evening when other meteorologists were giving up on the storm and calling for just a couple of inches of snow.

Boy, how things change!  The late Monday night computer model runs started generating more snow and that trend continues into Tuesday morning.  With that being said, the “Winter Weather Advisory” for the Quad Cities is now a “Winter Storm Warning” for today through early Wednesday morning.  That’s indicated on this map by pink and the “Winter Weather Advisory”, where lesser amounts of snow are expected is in purple.

As of this blog entry, around 7 a.m. Tuesday, light snow is already falling across parts of southeastern Iowa and west-central Illinois.  This will spread northward to the Quad Cities by mid-morning or by noon.

The snow will become heavy this morning in the south and in the afternoon in the metro area.

Our storm is located over Missouri early this morning and here are the GFS forecast maps for noon Tuesday, 6 p.m. Tuesday, and then six hours later at midnight.  The heaviest snows are indicated by darker greens and blues.

While the heaviest snow will fall today and start diminishing late tonight, we’re still going to see light snow Wednesday that could accumulate another inch or so.

Since I’ll be at work today and this is a personal blog and forecast, I will not be able to give you any more updates until this evening.  However, that’s not really an issue since this is my final forecast for this storm.  Yes, Meredith, that’s my final answer. 🙂

Here are my snow totals I expect to fall today through Wednesday evening.

Can many of you say “SNOW DAY”!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kidding aside, this is going to be a dangerous winter storm.  In addition to the heavy snow falling today and this afternoon and evening, we’ll see blustery conditions with winds of 20-40 miles-per-hour giving us near white out conditions, at times.

This is especially bad in open areas where there’s nothing to stop the wind-blown snow.  Also, this is a problem for high-profile vehicles on the Interstate (i.e. semis).

Be careful!

I know many of you are wishing spring arrives soon.

Anthony

Snow Still On Track For Tuesday & Wednesday

EVENING UPDATE:  Monday, February 25, 2013, 7:19 p.m.

Hello everyone!  I survived my first day of training and it was weird not being able to communicate with you via Facebook, my blog, or email.  So, this update to cut back on snow totals Tuesday and Wednesday seems very late.

However, I’m cutting back on the snow totals by, at least, two inches.  Here’s my latest forecast and there might have to be further reductions in my Tuesday morning update.  And, some of the final totals by Wednesday evening may even be on the low-end of these ranges.

Anthony

ORIGINAL POST:  Monday, February 25, 2013, 8:48 a.m.

Happy Monday everyone.  For some of you, it’s back to work after a nice weekend.  For me, it’s back to work after almost four months off!  I start training today at CBS4 and I’ll make my debut one week from today, March 4, 2013, bright and early at 5 a.m.  I hope you check it out.

And, before we start talking about the snow chances Tuesday and Wednesday, guess what Friday is????  No, not my anniversary.  That was last Friday.  Not my birthday since that’s in October.  It’s the beginning of “Meteorological Spring”.

Met Spring

While the “vernal equinox”, otherwise known as “spring”, doesn’t officially begin until March 20, 2013, at 6:02 a.m., what we meteorologists call “meteorological spring”, the three months of March, April, and May, that follow the three coldest months of the year, begins.

So, if you’re over winter and you want a silver lining, you can say spring begins Friday!  But, first, let’s talk snow for Tuesday and Wednesday.

If you’re looking forward to one more storm, you’ll likely have your chance Tuesday and Wednesday.  But, the amount of snow really depends on where you live across the Mississippi and Illinois Valleys.  No worries for snow today as we experience a sun and cloud mix (more clouds by afternoon) with highs in the 34-39° range.

It now appears that the storm will be moving in slower than previously thought.  I mentioned this Sunday evening.  If you live down around Keokuk, Iowa or Macomb, Illinois, you’ll see light snow develop by daybreak Tuesday.

Light snow will become moderate snow by afternoon and Tuesday evening.  By Tuesday night and Wednesday, the heaviest of the snow will move northeast  into the Great Lakes.  However, I’m keeping snow in the forecast through Wednesday because of another disturbance that could bring another light accumulation of snow.

In anticipation of this next storm, the Quad Cities and the Lincoln National Weather Service offices have issued the following watches, warnings, and advisories for much of Tuesday.

With any winter storm, there will be changes in the storm track and snowfall totals up until the storm arrives, but here’s what I’m thinking as of Monday morning (and this really hasn’t changed too much from my thinking Sunday).  And, one thing that some people don’t keep in mind when you see a “range” is that you could receive the low-end and not just the high-end totals.

These totals are forecast from Tuesday morning to Wednesday night.

Since I work today and not just blogging, I won’t be updating this again until this evening.  So, at this point, count on snow Tuesday and Wednesday.

Anthony

They Said What??? Clive Davis, Howard Stern, Joan Rivers

FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JON HUNTSMAN

“Today we have an opportunity to do more: conservatives should start to lead again and push their states to join the nine others that allow all their citizens to marry. I’ve been married for 29 years. My marriage has been the greatest joy of my life. There is nothing conservative about denying other Americans the ability to forge that same relationship with the person they love.”

CULTURE CLUB LEAD SINGER BOY GEORGE

(talking about the pictures showing off his weight loss):  “I love that the size of my ass is trending worldwide!”

COMEDIAN JOAN RIVERS

On why she kissed a woman):  “Lily Tomlin, who is my very good friend, she and Jane Lynch had a dinner party, and I met this lovely woman.  At this point, all the men I go out with remind me of my father — dead … I figured I might as well try it at this point. Maybe I’ve been missing something.”

MUSIC INDUSTRY LEGEND CLIVE DAVIS

“I opened myself up to the possibility that I could have a relationship with a man as well as the two that I had with a woman.  I’m still attracted to women. … You don’t have to be only one thing or another. For me, it’s the person.”

SINGER KELLY CLARKSON

(upon hearing that Clive Davis mentioned that she “burst in to hysterical sobbing” over her second album in his new book):  “So I just heard Clive Davis is releasing a memoir and spreading false information about me and my music. I refuse to be bullied and I just have to clear up his memory lapses and misinformation for myself and for my fans. It feels like a violation. Growing up is awesome because you learn you don’t have to cower to anyone – even Clive Davis.”

SHOCK JOCK HOWARD STERN

(defending Clarkson):  “It sickens me when management guys like to set the record straight about how f—ing creative they are and what geniuses they are.  This guy is trying to diminish what she does? Doesn’t he have enough in life, can’t he tell his story without f—ing degrading her?”

OSCARS’ HOST SETH MacFARLANE

“Daniel Day-Lewis is not the first actor to be nominated for playing Lincoln. Raymond Massey portrayed him in 1940′s Abe Lincoln in Illinois. I would argue, though, the actor who really got inside Lincoln’s head was John Wilkes Booth.”

Anthony

And, The Oscar Picks Go To….

Do you prefer to call them the “Oscars” or the “Academy Awards”?  I like using both.

While I’m much better at predicting weather, I always like to make my picks for the award shows.  The People’s Choice Awards, the American Music Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and the Country Music Association Awards are the easiest to predict since they’re mostly based on popularity, or so it seems.  I’m horrible at picking Grammy Award winners.

Tonight is the 85th Annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre (formerly known as the Kodak Theatre) in Los Angeles, California.

I’ve never watched “Family Guy” or “The Cleveland Show”, but I still want to see “Ted”.  So, I know little about host Seth MacFarlane except that’s he’s supposed to be funny and that’s he a trained pianist and singer.  I ordered his debut album, “Music Is Better Than Words”, because I love his voice.

music is better than words

Back to the Oscars, yesterday, Ray and I sat down and picked our winners independently of each other.

My advantages are (1) I keep up on pop culture and entertainment (2) I read the bible of the entertainment world, “Entertainment Weekly”, and (3) I put more thought into it.  On the other hand, my disadvantages are (1) I keep up on pop culture and entertainment (2) I read the bible of the entertainment world, “Entertainment Weekly”, (3) I put more thought into it, and (4) to some extent, I have been influenced by other people’s thought processes.

Ray’s advantages are (1) that he’s goes by his gut feeling and (2) he has to listen to me quote “Entertainment Weekly”.

So, while I picked “Argo” to win Best Picture, if it does win, it will be a rarity because only three times in the history of the Academy Awards has a movie won for Best Picture if the director wasn’t nominated.  And, Ben Affleck wasn’t nominated for Best Director.  The last movie to win Best Picture without a Best Director nod was 1989’s “Driving Miss Daisy”.

In all honesty, I wasn’t influenced by this, but it’s adorable.

Goldens Pick Oscars

While I really think that “Lincoln” will win Best Picture, I’m going for an “Argo” upset.

And, for Best Actress, I think it’ll come down to Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”) and Jennifer Lawrence (“Silver Linings Playbook”), but I picked Emmanuelle Riva (“Amour).  I would be so thrilled (and shocked) if Quvenzhané Wallis (“Beasts of the Southern Wild”) wins and becomes the youngest Best Actress winner ever.  Riva would become the oldest Best Actress winner if she gets the Oscar.

May the best man (or woman) win in the Oscars and the Oscar picks.

Anthony

Next Snow Looking Much More Likely

AFTERNOON UPDATE:  Sunday, February 24, 2013, 3:52 p.m.

After checking out the new GFS and NAM models this afternoon, there is no real reason to change my thoughts on the upcoming storm.

The only big deal is that it may be daybreak Tuesday before the snow makes it to the Quad Cities.

At this point, the worse case scenario is that the snow totals may be on the low end of the range that I gave earlier today.  However, it’s still too early to commit to that.  As I stated before, that’s a good starting point and I’ll leave everything the way I had it this morning.

Here is the new winter storm severe weather map.  Notice from this morning that to our south in northern Missouri, the “Watch” is now a “Winter Storm Warning”.

Anthony

ORIGINAL POST:  Sunday, February 24, 2013, 8:42 a.m.

The snowstorm that I’ve been talking about for a few days for Monday night and Tuesday is looking more and more likely to be a big snow for the Quad Cities.

A “Winter Storm Watch” goes into effect late Monday night into Tuesday evening for much of the Mississippi and Illinois Valleys.  While Dubuque County, Iowa, and Jo Daviess and Stephenson counties in Illinois, are not included in the watch, at this time, you will see snow, too.

Today is going to be a perfect day with plenty of sunshine with highs of 33-38°.  While there will be more clouds Monday with the approaching storm, it’ll be seasonal with highs again in the 33-38° range.

As it looks right now, your Monday evening commute should be problem-free with the snow beginning after midnight into the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday.

This is NOAA’s GFS map for 6 a.m. Tuesday.

The heaviest snow with this system will fall Tuesday and Tuesday night.

Here are the maps for noon Tuesday and 6 p.m. Tuesday.  That heavier snow is indicated on these maps with the dark greens and blue.

While this storm is still about two days, there will likely be some slight shift in the storm’s path.  What is certain is that we’re likely going to pick up a decent snow.  What could change is the exact location of the heaviest snow.

Two days out and subject to change due to storm track and intensity, I’d say we’ll see anywhere from 3-5″ of snow around Iowa City and Dubuque, Iowa, over to Galena and Freeport, Illinois.

In the Quad Cities, Muscatine, Wapello, Fort Madison, Burlington, and Keokuk, Iowa, and Sterling, Mount Carroll, and Princeton, Illinois, 5-7″ could fall with the next system.

Right now, I’m expecting 7-9″ of snow from around Monmouth, Macomb, and Galesburg, Illinois.

These totals will mostly likely be altered and fine-tuned as we get closer to the storm.  This is just to give you a ball park, starting point of how much snow to expect.

Enjoy your Sunday!  I plan on making the best of my Sunday with an anniversary brunch (yes, we’re still celebrating), movies, and the Oscars, with a  later afternoon weather update thrown in there for good measure.

Anthony

Enjoy Your Weekend, But Let’s Quickly Talk Upcoming Snow

AFTERNOON UPDATE:  Saturday, February 23, 4:40 p.m.

The afternoon GFS model has shifted the low pressure system that will be moving out of the southern Plains northward.  If this trend verifies and continues over the next day or so, it looks as though snow totals Monday night and Tuesday will be higher than previously thought this morning.

This is the map for Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.  That blue and green indicates moderate to heavier snow.

I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes on this one!

Anthony

ORIGINAL POST:  Saturday, February 23, 2013 8:39 a.m.

The weekend is here!  Did you get to sleep in this morning?  I was wide awake at 7 a.m., which is a good thing because beginning Monday, March 4th, I’ll be waking up at 1:30 a.m. to get ready to go to work.  Time to make the doughnuts.

It’s not really that bad outside early this Saturday morning.

I went out and checked on the fish and they’re doing just fine.  Today, I’m going to scoop more snow into the fish pond to keep the water level up (although there isn’t a lot of evaporation taking place).  Don’t worry that putting snow in the pond might freeze them or cause them to go into shock, the de-icer keep the water warm enough to prevent that and the snow melts pretty quickly!

Quiet weather is expected this weekend with nothing more than a few stray snow flurries today with highs near 30°.  Sunday will feature more sunshine and highs 30-35°.

Now, let’s talk about this “Mega Storm” coming in early next week.  Oh, did I get your attention there?  My apologies for scaring you like that.  There’s some snow on the way, but it’s the Midwest and I know we can handle it.  Kidding aside, here’s how things should play out two to three days out.

Low pressure will be coming out of Texas Monday.  It now looks as though the rain and snow mix on Monday will not develop until late Monday night.

The latest data coming in does take this storm out of the Southern Plains to Indiana to the eastern Great Lakes Wednesday.  This path would keep the biggest threat of more significant snows mainly to the east of the Quad Cities. Parts of northeastern Iowa may miss out on snow altogether!

The bottom line three days out is that we’re going to have snow late Monday night, but a better chance Tuesday and more light snow is possible into Wednesday.  At this point, a few inches of snow are possible, but I’m just going to watch it and I’ll alert you if the track veers more to the northwest.  If that were to happen (and tracks always seem to change closer to the storm), we could see more snow than I expect now.

As of Saturday morning, the only “Winter Storm Watch” for Sunday night and Monday is well to the southwest of the Quad Cities.

So, the eggs, milk, bread, and toilet paper supply that you bought for the last storm should keep you in good shape with the system coming in early next week.

Have a great weekend.

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — February 22, 2013

Good Friday morning!  If you live across Iowa or Illinois, you have new snow this morning, but it could have been worse.  If you still have to work or go to school, be careful out there.  More on the departing snow and the possibility of another one coming up early next week shortly, but I’ve got some other random thoughts to share.  And, the first one is awesome.

HAPPY 4th ANNIVERSARY RAY!

Ray and Anthony -- LV -- January 2013

I’m not sure about you, but we have two anniversaries — the day we met and started dating and the day we got married, September 30, 2011.  (Gretel and I will have our 4-year “friendaversary” in April.  Yes, I waited two months before I was ready to meet her.)

It was four years ago today that Ray, ABBA, and I met.  We always mark that date with lunch at Exotic Thai, the scene of the crime for our first public date.  So, I’ll be having pumpkin curry for lunch today as we continue that tradition.

Anniversary Lunch

This picture was taken atop the Stratosphere in late January 2013 with Las Vegas sprawled out behind us.

SNOW, SNOW, & MORE SNOW

Before last night and this morning’s snow, we had only picked up 12.2″ of snow this winter in the Quad Cities.  Officially, 2.8″ fell from this storm at the Quad City International Airport in Moline, Illinois.  Here are some other official and unofficial totals:  3.2″ Davenport (IA); 4.9″ Dubuque (IA); 6″ Iowa City (IA), and 6.3″ Keokuk (IA).  As you can see, most snowfall amounts were between 2-6″.

You have to admit that the snow from last night is pretty.  Gretel got up this morning and started looking out the windows to see if there was enough snow to cancel school!

Snow 1

While we’ll see some light snow or flurries today, quiet weather is on tap this weekend with highs around 30° Saturday and 30-35° Sunday, which will allow for a little melting.

Another system coming in Monday could bring a rain/snow mix that will change over to snow during the day and then another accumulating snow Monday night and Tuesday.  More on that later in the weekend closer to the storm.  No need just yet to hype it up like some forecasters do.

But here’s how it’s depicted on two different computer models at noon Monday:  the GFS (first) and the NAM (second).

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

SnowflakeWinter SummerFishing

So, just like that you didn’t think about the snow outside for a moment and were thinking of summer and going fishing, right?

20TH CENTURY FOX, GET OFF THE “PICKET FENCES”

Back in the early 1990s before moving to Chicago, my two favorite shows on television were “Melrose Place” on Fox and “Picket Fences” on CBS.

Picket Fences

The drama, created by David E. Kelley, ran from 1992-1996 and won 14 Emmy Awards during its four years, including “Best Dramatic Series” two years in a row.  It followed the lives of Sheriff Jimmy Brock (Tom Skerritt) and his wife, Jill (Kathy Baker), the town doctor, and all of the weird happenings in fictional Rome, Wisconsin.

This video shows some of the best, or worse, of lawyer Douglas Wambaugh (Fyvush Finkel).

Once I moved to Chicago in the summer of 1994 and started having a real life (sorry, Kentucky life!), I didn’t watch the series until its conclusion.  And, I wasn’t alone.  In the first three years on the air, an average of 9.5 million people tuned in.  In its last season, that number dropped to 7 million.

Now that the DVD market is oversaturated with almost every past television show, I want to know why 20th Century Fox released the first season in 2007, but never released seasons 2-4?  I have no reason to buy that first season and not know if I’ll see the rest of it.  So, if someone at 20th Century Fox reads this, please make the rest of “Picket Fences” available for fans of the series.  I’ll buy it!

PEEPS’ ’80s FRIDAY FLASHBACK

Bon Jovi Versace 50

This is Jon Bon Jovi.  I wish I could look like that at 50!  Heck, I don’t even look like that in my 40s!!!!!!!!!

Bon Jovi 1980s

And, this is what he looked liked in the 1980s when he and his band started their chart run that produced 17 Top 40 Hot 100 hits (ten of those reached the Top Ten and four reached #1).  Bon Jovi would have two solo hits in 1990, including the #1 song, “Blaze of Glory”.

Bon Jovi has sold more than 135 million albums world-wide.  Their biggest album was 1986’s “Slippery When Wet”, which sold 28 million copies around the world.  It also produced three Top Ten hits, two of which were back-to-back number one hits, “You Give Love A Bad Name” and “Livin’ On A Prayer”.

THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS THE FUTURE

I’ve had some success picking future hits.  Early last year, I picked “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen and I think, by now, you’ve heard it a few thousand times.  I also picked Chris Wallace’s “Remember When (Push Rewind)” and Marina and the Diamonds “How To Be A Heartbreaker”.  Both are getting some radio airplay even now.  As a matter of fact, Wallace is in the Top 25 on the airplay chart.

My pick hit today is catching fire at Top 40 radio.  It’s “Alive” by the Chicago electronic dance band, Krewella.  The trio formed in 2007 and their first full-length album will be released this summer.  With the recent radio successes of EDM dance artists like Calvin Harris and David Guetta, I think there’s room for a few more like Zedd, Martin Solveig, Madeon, and Krewella.

 WEEKEND PLANS

Now that the weekend is here, I hope you have some fun things planned.  As far as I know, we don’t have anything going on.  However, this is my last weekend off before I start back to work Monday.  So, I think it should be a weekend filled with movies, finishing season two of “The X-Files” and “Six Feet Under”, and checking out the Oscars.  I’ll have my Oscar picks Sunday.

Dexter Season 7

Oh, good news for “Dexter” fans that wait for the DVD to see the show.  Season 7 will be released on May 14th!  Typically, the series’ last season arrives on DVD in August just before the new season begins in September.  But, since this is the “last” season, Showtime is starting early this summer with all new episodes beginning June 30, 2013.

I guess that’s enough random thoughts for now.  Have a great weekend!

Anthony

Biggest Snow of the Season Arrives Later Today

UPDATE:  Thursday, February 21, 2013,  3:44 p.m.

The snow is now closing in on the Quad Cities.  Moderate to heavy snow falling this afternoon has already dropped up to 1.5″  in Fort Madison, Iowa, and Macomb, Illinois.

Light snow will develop in the Quad Cities by nightfall and quickly become heavy for about 3-6 hours.

While the advisories and warnings have changed for a couple of counties from this map that I posted this morning, my snowfall forecast hasn’t changed.  Here is the general range of snow expected through daybreak Friday.  There is always the possibility that there could be a few isolated totals an inch or so higher than the range.  But, that will be scattered and random.

Snow Amounts

Be careful out there and try to enjoy the beauty of winter!

Anthony

ORIGINAL POST:  Thursday, February 21, 2013, 7:44 a.m.

Wood for the fireplace.  Check.  Food for dinner tonight and tomorrow.  Check.  Charmin.  Check.  Wine and liquor.  Check. Check.  Milk.  Slightly past expiration date.  Well, other than the milk being a little iffy, it sounds like I’m all set with what will likely be the biggest snow of this season, so far, in the Quad Cities.

Prior to this incoming storm, that was 4.9″, which fell on December 20, 2012.

THURSDAY WINTER OUTLOOK

All can we do now is wait for the snow’s arrival later today.

The winter storm advisories and warnings are pretty much unchanged from my last report.

The pink shaded area is under a “Winter Storm Warning” Thursday evening through Friday afternoon.  This is where the heaviest snow will fall.  The purple-shaded area, pretty much along and east of the Mississippi River, is under a “Winter Weather Advisory” for the same time period.  Moderate snow will fall in the “advisory” area, but it won’t be as heavy as the “warning” area.

Scottsdale AZ Wednesday

Here is what the storm looked like yesterday as it moved across Scottsdale, Arizona!

We’re still several hours away from even seeing the first snowflakes today.

The storm will be lifting out of the southern Plains today and spreading light snow or flurries into our southern hometowns by early afternoon.  This should reach the Quad Cities by evening.

This is what it should look like at 6 p.m. from the GFS model with the heaviest snow (darker greens) still over Missouri.

THURSDAY 6PM

Moving ahead three, six, nine, and twelve hours (9 p.m. Thursday, midnight, 3 a.m. Friday, and 6 a.m. Friday)

THURSDAY 9PMFRIDAY MIDNIGHTFRIDAY 3AMFRIDAY 6 AM

With those maps, you can get an indication of when the heaviest snows will fall (late evening and overnight) and when the heaviest snow will be pushing out of the Mississippi and Illinois Valleys into Wisconsin and the Chicagoland area (which will be by daybreak Friday).

When all is said and done, here’s how much snow should be on the ground when you head out Friday morning.

Snow Amounts

Be careful out there this evening and overnight tonight because, in addition to the snow, we’ll also be seeing blustery winds over 20 miles-per-hour, which will lower visibilities with near whiteout conditions as the moderate to heavy snow falls for about 3-6 hours.

The silver lining to this storm is that bitterly cold air WILL NOT be coming in behind it.

Highs Friday will be around freezing and this will allow some slight melting to take place.  After a chilly day Saturday, Sunday’s highs will be in the low-to-mid-30s and then close to 40° by Monday.  But, by then, another system threatens us with rain Monday and snow Monday night and Tuesday.

Stay safe, my friends.

Anthony