Expect coldest weekend in more than a year

The arctic spigot is wide open as the 8th weekend of meteorological winter dawns. The
latest blast of cold air isn't as extreme as the chill that sent Chicago temperatures below
zero for nearly 48 straight hours just over a week ago. However, it's likely to produce
the coldest weekend temperatures here in 54 weeks with much of Saturday in single digits
and nighttime lows near zero. The cold air's been so pervasive this month that January's
average temperature is running 5 degrees below normal.
The chill isn't limited to the Midwest. Floridians have shivered in recent days. Key
West's Friday morning low was 47 degrees -- a reading that shattered the old record for the
date by 5 degrees.
In Marquette, Mich., snowfall has been so frequent, the seasonal tally is at 156 inches.
Waves of heavy snow sweep the central Rockies the next four days. Totals in excess of 4
feet are possible in the mountains of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.
NEARLY 3 WEEKS SINCE BARE GROUND
Snow first covered the ground here on Dec. 1. Since then, 40 of the past 55 days have
boasted a snow cover of 1 inch or more at Midway Airport. Chicagoans haven't seen bare
ground since Jan. 5.
--By Paul Dailey, WGN Weather Center Meteorologist