City could get 2nd heaviest snow of season

Chicago's February snow drought is about to end. Indications remain compelling that a
swath of the Chicago area may be on the way to getting 6 inches or more of snow. Amounts
farther south -- from Morris to Kankakee and Rensselaer -- may be limited to several inches
because of an anticipated lull in snowfall for a time Saturday morning. The storm system
responsible isn't Chicago's conventional 6-inches + snow producer. Racing southeastward
from Canada, the system originates in a region of limited atmospheric moisture. But
computer models and an array of snowfall forecast techniques suggest it will compensate by
taking advantage of strong jet stream dynamics that will lift and cool available moisture to
produce clouds and snow. A modest injection of lake moisture appears a good bet
Saturday. The storm's snow accumulation is to be made up of 6-7 inches of "system snow" which
falls fairly steadily over 12 to 14 hours -- and a possible 2-3 inches of added lake
moisture which could boost totals in lakeside counties. Snow showers could linger into Saturday
night.
February is historically Chicago's third snowiest month, but has logged 0.8 inches. A
year ago, 14.8 inches had fallen to date.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune