The ground is covered with snow for first time in a week. Only a week ago, readings were
headed to near 60 degrees here -- a development which brought an unceremonious end to
the longest-lasting winter snow cover in eight years. For 32 consecutive days, an inch or
more of snow covered the ground. The storm system responsible for Chicago's overnight
snows walloped sections of Nebraska and Iowa on Friday. Nebraska totals included 10 inches
at North Platte and Calloway and 8 inches at Omaha, while 7.1 inches fell at Des Moines.
Though the system was weakening as it swept toward Chicago, it generated 3 inches of snow
near Freeport and 2 inches in Rockford by late Friday evening, producing numerous
accidents.
Until Friday, this month's lack of measurable snow during its opening 12 days in Chicago
was in stark contrast to the 14.5 inches that fell during a comparable February period a
year ago.
Cold north winds travel down Lake Michigan late Saturday night into early Monday and
threaten to provoke lake-effect snow showers in the Indiana snowbelt. A few flurries may
even swipe the northeast Illinois shoreline. A stronger storm is being monitored Tuesday
night into Wednesday.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
