Storms, chill put shrill end to calm weather

The last significant weather event to hit the Chicago area was the heavy rain of Dec.
27. Since then, the city has logged six consecutive days (including today) of relatively
tranquil weather.
Experience has taught Chicagoans that interludes of placid winter weather of that
duration are likely to end with a splash -- or a snow shovel. That's true of the situation at
hand. Two distinct storm systems have Chicago in their sights.
Gathering cloudiness on Saturday heralds the arrival of the first system -- a rather
mild event that brings light rain, possibly beginning as a period of freezing rain, by
Saturday evening.
BIG SNOW AHEAD?
The second system is the one to watch. It's to be the more energetic of the two, and
much colder as well.
Approaching from the south-southwest and dripping with moisture from the Gulf of Mexico,
it has the potential to put several inches of snow across the Chicago area Tuesday
afternoon into midday Wednesday, then frigid arctic air arrives in its wake. That cold air
will be accompanied by strong northwest winds and subzero windchill temperatures.
--By Richard Koeneman, WGN Weather Center Meteorologist