For the second time in a week, the area is being walloped by significant rains. The October rain tally had reached 4.63" at O'Hare and 5.46" at Midway even before the current system's precipitation began Thursday, assuring the month a spot among the Top 10 wettest Octobers on the books here. The frequency with which rain has fallen the past 30 days has been stunning. The last time an October produced 22 days with a trace or more of rain occurred 84 years ago in 1925.
The waves of rainfall predicted to sweep the Chicago area Friday are a continuation of overnight downpours, some from 41,000-foot thunderstorms. They fall on saturated soils unable to absorb them. With no option but to run-off, the 1" to local 2.5" totals predicted by Friday evening will stream into area rivers threatening flooding. The Fox River near Montgomery was within 0.2 feet of flood stage even before the latest deluges arrived.
The powerful autumn storm behind Friday's downpours has established an uninterrupted flow of Gulf moisture riding 60-plus mph south winds into the Midwest just above the surface. It's a set-up which assures a nearly limitless supply of moisture to fuel Friday's waves of gusty showers and thunderstorms. Though rain won't fall continuously, when it does it may well be heavy. With dew points, a measure of atmospheric moisture, predicted to hover around 60 degrees Friday -- much higher than yesterday's upper 40s -- in combination with mild south rather than lake-cooled southeast winds, Friday should feel "warmer."
Chicago's wet storm was responsible for a half dozen twisters which dipped Thursday from Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas skies. Rainfall topped 5" near Shreveport, La., and flood watches extend over a dozen states from the Gulf north to Illinois and Indiana.
Blinding snows dominated the system's backside and halted travel over sections of 4 states from Colorado and Wyoming into western Nebraska and South Dakota. Snowfall reached 1-2 feet in Denver and up to 4 feet nearby in the mountains. An area three miles southeast of Pinecliffe, Colo., was buried by 45.8" of new snow and drifts in Wyoming were up to 6 feet tall.
Warming slated later next week -- but it may not last
Much cooler air hits Friday night into Sunday morning. Gusty west winds will add to the chill of the 50-degree Halloween Day predicted Saturday. Longer range models hint at the potential for significant warming later next week into the following weekend. The predicted "warm-up" has the look of an El Nino inspired temperature increase. But, several key cold weather indexes turn negative toward the end of the coming two weeks -- suggesting any warming may not last.
REMINDER: Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday morning at 2 a.m. Turn clocks back an hour before heading to bed Saturday night. The change means it will feel like we have an extra hour of sleep Sunday. But sunsets will move from 5:46 p.m. Saturday to 4:45 p.m. Sunday as a result of the change.
The waves of rainfall predicted to sweep the Chicago area Friday are a continuation of overnight downpours, some from 41,000-foot thunderstorms. They fall on saturated soils unable to absorb them. With no option but to run-off, the 1" to local 2.5" totals predicted by Friday evening will stream into area rivers threatening flooding. The Fox River near Montgomery was within 0.2 feet of flood stage even before the latest deluges arrived.
The powerful autumn storm behind Friday's downpours has established an uninterrupted flow of Gulf moisture riding 60-plus mph south winds into the Midwest just above the surface. It's a set-up which assures a nearly limitless supply of moisture to fuel Friday's waves of gusty showers and thunderstorms. Though rain won't fall continuously, when it does it may well be heavy. With dew points, a measure of atmospheric moisture, predicted to hover around 60 degrees Friday -- much higher than yesterday's upper 40s -- in combination with mild south rather than lake-cooled southeast winds, Friday should feel "warmer."
Chicago's wet storm was responsible for a half dozen twisters which dipped Thursday from Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas skies. Rainfall topped 5" near Shreveport, La., and flood watches extend over a dozen states from the Gulf north to Illinois and Indiana.
Blinding snows dominated the system's backside and halted travel over sections of 4 states from Colorado and Wyoming into western Nebraska and South Dakota. Snowfall reached 1-2 feet in Denver and up to 4 feet nearby in the mountains. An area three miles southeast of Pinecliffe, Colo., was buried by 45.8" of new snow and drifts in Wyoming were up to 6 feet tall.
Warming slated later next week -- but it may not last
Much cooler air hits Friday night into Sunday morning. Gusty west winds will add to the chill of the 50-degree Halloween Day predicted Saturday. Longer range models hint at the potential for significant warming later next week into the following weekend. The predicted "warm-up" has the look of an El Nino inspired temperature increase. But, several key cold weather indexes turn negative toward the end of the coming two weeks -- suggesting any warming may not last.
REMINDER: Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday morning at 2 a.m. Turn clocks back an hour before heading to bed Saturday night. The change means it will feel like we have an extra hour of sleep Sunday. But sunsets will move from 5:46 p.m. Saturday to 4:45 p.m. Sunday as a result of the change.
Leave a comment