More snow has fallen to date than all of last winter

With Chicago’s 2004-05 seasonal snow tally now at 30.4” in the wake of this weekend’s big storm (11.2” at O’Hare and 12.9” at Midway), the area has exceeded by nearly half a foot the 24.8” which fell all of last snow season. January, with 24.6” of snow to date, has become the city’s 4th snowiest since 1885. Even the snow which covers the ground is turning into one for the books. The 8” of snow on the ground here late Monday is the greatest cover of snow observed on a Jan. 24 since the 24” snowpack observed in 1979. (Note: There have been more recent January dates with heavier Chicago snowpacks, among them the 18” measured in the wake of the 21.6” snowstorm Jan. 1-3, 1999 and the 11” snow cover which remained after a foot of snow fell Jan. 30-31, 2002).
The chilliest weather in 2 years gripped Florida Monday morning. Temps fell to 31° at Tampa, 33° at Orlando, and 43° at Miami. Daytime highs only reached 59° at Tampa, a reading below the 69° recorded at Rapid City, S.D.