Temperatures Thursday may surge to 50° briefly over parts of the Chicago area—but the mild readings won’t last. A windshift to the NE is predicted this afternoon as the circulation of an approaching storm system takes hold. The storm produced huge snow accumulations out West Wednesday. Solitude, Utah was buried beneath 20” and nearby Deer Valley measured 16”. Rocky Mountain residents aren’t alone. Winter-weary residents of the Northeast are battling wind-driven snow again. From northern Pennsylvania east to southern New England, 10-12” totals are likely before an oceanbound storm departs Thursday night. Parts of that region are reeling with 90-100” seasonal snow tallies.
The Chicago area is in for an additional snow this week too. Rain falling into dry air Thursday night will evaporate—a process which produces cooling, switching rain to snow from NW to SE by Friday.
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
