Periods of snow here Thursday, totaling 1.5” at O’Hare, 1.6” at La Grange, 1.7” Oak Lawn and as much as 2.5” at one location the city’s northwest side, have pushed the seasonal snow tally to more than twice the levels observed a year ago. Since the current season began, 19.2” has fallen at O’Hare—13.7” of it this month alone, well above the 11.3” full January norm. The nearly 20” on the books to date is 2.5 times the 7.6” a year ago.
Barring last minute storm track changes—a perennial possibility in the complex world of Midwest winter weather—the city may be on the way to its second +7” snowfall this month beginning this evening. Though it’s conceivable snowfall may break temporarily between the steady snows generated by the storm Friday night/Sat. morning and the lake snows due here Saturday afternoon and evening, final storm totals may reach 5-7”—heavier lakeside.
-Tom Skilling
