Recently in EVENT Category

Check out this link from the Alaska Volcano Observatory showing a video time lapse of the recent activity of Redoubt Volcano on March 27 2009

Photo courtesy of Alaska Volcano Observatory

The area continues in line for the mildest Election Day weather which has occurred in Chicago in the 44 years since Election Day (Nov. 3) 1964 when the city’s official high was 75-degrees.

Tuesday, Nov. 4 forecast (Issued Nov. 1)

Mainly sunny, breezy and unseasonably warm. High temperatures 18-degrees above
normal! Completely rain-free!

8A.M. Sunny skies 55 degrees south winds 12-15 mph
1P.M. Mostly Sunny skies, windy and mild 69 degrees south
winds 15 to 25 m.p.h. with higher gusts Mid-afternoon Mostly Sunny skies Highest
temperature 72 degrees South winds 15 to 25 with possible gusts to 30 m.p.h.
6 P.M. Clear skies 66 degrees south winds 12 to 18 m.p.h.

OBAMA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING RALLY
Scheduled to run from 8 p.m. Tuesday evening to 1 a.m. Wednesday morning
Scattered high clouds, breezy and unusually mild. Rain-free!
Temperatures at the start of the rally near 64-degrees falling to 59-degrees by the
rally’s end. South winds 11-17 m.p.h.

Great weather expected for both Election Day and Obama Election Night Rally

Mildest Chicago Election Day in 44 years predicted next Tuesday—with the windy, rain-free and mild conditions extending through Tuesday evening/Wednesday morning’s Obama Rally at Grant Park

ELECTION DAY WEATHER FORECAST----For next Tuesday November 4, 2008

The evidence for warm, windy and rain-free weather for Election Day as well as for the Grant Park Obama Rally in the 8pm to 1 am period Tuesday night and Wednesday morning continues VERY strong. Showers and late-season thunderstorms are not likely reach Chicago until Wednesday night and Thursday next week---WELL after the election and rally.

Here’s our latest Tuesday November 4 weather forecast:

Chicago’s mildest Election Day in the 44 years since a 75-degree Chicago high on Election Day (November 3) 1964 . Generous if not unlimited sunshine next Tuesday Nov. 4, windy and unseasonably mild. Only a few fair weather clouds and patches of high thin clouds. South to southwest winds increase 12 to 24 m.p.h. Tuesday’s predicted high: 68-degrees. (Note: That’s 14-degrees above the normal 54-degree November 4 high and 19-degrees above the 49-degree high last presidential election day in Chicago in 2004.

FORECAST FOR THE OBAMA GRANT PARK RALLY Tuesday evening/early Wednesday morning

Fair, breezy and quite mild for the season from 8 pm-1am Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. South winds 12 to 18 m.p.h. during the rally at Grant Park temperatures at 8pm around 62-degree lowering to 56-degrees by 1 am. That’s remarkably mild for a November evening which typically cools to lows in the mid 30s at night. Current indications are that showers and thunderstorms advancing through the Plains are NO THREAT to the Grant Park Rally Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, remaining WELL west of Illinois until Wednesday night.

Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN/Chicago Tribune

Predicted weather for Election Day and the Obama Grant Park rally Tuesday night

Chicago’s mildest Election Day in 44 years is predicted Tuesday. Partly sunny, windy and mild weather. A high of 68-degrees—the mildest Election Day temperature since the 75-degree high here on Election Day (November 3) in 1964.

Clouds increase Tuesday evening and night, gusty south/southwest winds and mild temperatures. Current indications—subject to update---are that showers advancing through Iowa Tuesday night may wait until after the rally to reach Grant Park. The progress of those showers will have to be monitored and we will update this forecast regularly in coming days.
Tom Skilling Chief Meteorologist WGN Weather Center

Come see Tom Skilling present WGN's documentary When Lightning Strikes
on SATURDAY Sept. 20, 2008 at 1 p.m. at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

This event is suitable for Grades 4-8, Grades 9-12 and Adults. After the screening Tom Skilling will lead a discussion of this fascinating topic.

Requires a FREE ticket for entry. Space is limited and reservations are recommended.
Advance tickets are recommended by calling the Museum at (773) 684-1414 and will be
available for pick-up the day of the event.

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER DETAIL

2:35 p.m. Saturday Weather Update: Storm's snows overspreading into the area; increasing winds/blowing and drifting of heavy snow accumulations on the way

Weather conditions are deteriorating as the season's second major snowstorm begins affecting the Chicago area as of this 2:35 p.m. Saturday update. Visibilities in falling snow have plunged to 1/4 mile at some locations across our southern suburbs and are likely to vary between 1/4 and 3/4 mile over much of the metro area in the periods of heaviest snowfall, especially tonight into the first hours of Sunday morning. Rapid storm intensification continues to be predicted overnight by computer models as the storm center swings north into Indiana and northwest Ohio, putting us beneath the system's potent snow and wind-producing western flank. It's a track, given the anticipated added injection of lake moisture, which favors significant snow accumulations in the period between now and the opening hours of Sunday. Some overnight hours could see 1-2" fall per hour in the hardest-hit locations, though you shouldn't be surprised to see variations in snow intensities as the heavier snowfall arrives in waves. It continues to appear that snow amounts will vary across the area in the fashion laid out in our current forecast -- with far northwest suburban areas toward Rockford, Dixon and DeKalb likely to see something close to the 1-3" storm totals we've outlined (some spots there could be in line for 3-4" inches), the Fox Valley generally getting in on 5-7" while south suburban and some lakeside locations bear the brunt of this system with isolated accumulations as high as 10-12" not out of the question.

LAKE MOISTURE COULD ENHANCE SNOWFALL TOTALS
The wild card on final snow amounts, as is usually the case with storms like this, will be the degree of lake moisture which gets into this system. It's a factor expected to become a more and more important issue overnight as initially easterly winds early Saturday night back northeast then north into Sunday morning, increasing exposure to the lake surface and added moisture. Sunday's opening hours may well have snow still falling fairly heavily near Lake Michigan and in Indiana while lighter snows and flurries linger farther west before tapering off with ensuing clearing and falling temperatures (low 20s are likely by day's end). Snow amounts will trend lower the farther west and northwest of the city one travels -- especially in far western locations (i.e. west of the Fox Valley).

STRONG WINDS ALSO EXPECTED
Increasingly powerful winds are predicted to accompany the barometric pressure declines within the intensifying winter storm -- especially overnight and into Sunday -- raising the specter of blowing and drifting snow. Gusts of 20+ m.p.h. as the afternoon proceeds increase to 30+ m.p.h. at times by later Saturday night and Sunday morning. As always, open areas and roads which run perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction are likely to be subject to the most significant drifting.

All atmospheric evidence up to now continues to support our prediction of 4-8" in the city proper and its immediate suburbs with 8-10" totals likely in Chicago's southern suburbs and even some sections of Cook and Lake counties close to Lake Michigan into northern Indiana. The system itself is contributing 4-8" of these totals, and current expectations suggest 2-4" of lake snow in the storm's final 6-8 hours could be added to the tallies in counties adjacent to Lake Michigan in northeast Illinois as well as northern Indiana. That may lead to some localized 12" totals in Indiana in the hardest-hit locations.

SOME TECHNICAL FACTORS UNDERPINNING OUR CURRENT FORECAST
Temperatures at 38,000 feet are forecast by computer models to warm 12-degrees C Saturday night. Studies and experience has shown snowfall in inches at ground level usually averages about half that high-altitude temperature increase -- and that amount excludes much of the lake moisture which gets into the system. The Chicago area is also fast shifting into a region of varying upper air wind speeds -- what's known in the business as a zone of "speed shear" beneath the nose of an incoming jet stream wind speed maximum. This is an area in which air is lifted an cooled on a broad scale and explains the presence of the snow now sweeping into the area. So does evidence of warming which is on the increase at 5,000 feet -- indicating the system is entraining warmth and moisture necessary for snow production.

Raw computer model water-equivalent precipitation totals for this event have been pegged at between 0.40" and 0.80" by our most reliable computer models -- heaviest across Chicago's far southern suburbs, lightest far northwest and west. Figuring a 12 to 1 snow/water ratio -- the ultimate ratio will also be critical to how much fall ends up accumulating -- these water equivalent amounts would yield widespread 5-10" snowfalls. Days of monitoring as this system has approached have seen these computer precipitation numbers catch up with other snowfall forecast techniques employed as we generate expected snowfall totals. Consistency is a powerful indicator that this storm appears at present to be unfolding as indicated.

Of course, all these indications are one thing -- what nature ends up doing with them can be another. An unexpected jog in the track this storm follows, variations in snow/water ratios, and the accuracy of our models in predicting the atmosphere's evolution during this system can all affect the final results, and we will continue to monitor this system closely.

Hope this provides an indication of where we appear to be with this system, and that any travel should be done with extreme care until clouds break and the sun emerges from the diminishing overcast Sunday afternoon. When all things are considered, the storm is likely to reach its height in the overnight hours and, in areas near Lake Michigan eastward into Indiana, possibly keep the snow going at a good clip into the opening hours of Sunday -- even into Sunday afternoon in the north-central Indiana and Michigan snow belts.

--By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist

The bad news is that light freezing rain is continuing across much of the Chicago metropolitan area this evening, but the good news is that temperatures are creeping toward 32 degrees. At 7 p.m. both O'Hare and Midway had reached 30 degrees with 31 degrees readings reported at DuPage, Wheeling and Aurora. Thawing has already begun at Kankakee where the mercury stands at 34 degrees.

The temperature will continue its slow rise through the night reaching the 40s on Sunday. This will allow today's snow and glaze to melt away. High temperatures will likely approach the 50 degree mark Sunday afternoon, but readings will crash back into the 30s by evening as strong northwest winds sweep in a shot of colder air. By Monday morning, the mercury should hover near 20 degrees.

With the city's first winter storm of the season about to become history, forecasters are already looking at the next system which may be approaching the area by late Tuesday. This storm, an Alberta Clipper type, could bring a round of accumulating snow to the city Tuesday night into Wednesday. In tune with the turn of the calendar to December 1, meteorological winter has truly arrived in Chicago.

Steve Kahn WGN Weather Center Meteorologist

2:45 P.M.Update: Switch to freezing rain sweeping the area, icing problems to grow before temps break above freezing later this evening

Freezing rain and ice pellets are fast becoming the favored precipitation mode Saturday afternoon. Early snow has been replaced by freezing rain in Chicago, as well as at DuPage, Aurora and Rockford, signaling the fact that powerful 60+ mph southerly winds several thousand feet above the surface are warming the air there quickly. Roads conditions are icy and challenging--especially less traveled thoroughfares, sidewalks and driveways.

Strong warming aloft is shutting down the brief interval of crystal formation in the clouds which fueled this storm's early snowflake development. The result is ice pellets (sleet)----but even more prevelantly super-cooled freezing rain---rain which falls as liquid but at a temperature below freezing, a state in which it freezes upon contact with cold outdoor surfaces---are to dominate the next 6 hours until temperatures at the surface surge above freezing later Saturday night. Computer models indicate as much as 0.75" of the storm's total 1"+ tally may fall during this interval of sub-freezing temperatures producing significant ice accumulations. Readings will break above freezing later tonight ultimately allowing this ice to melt. The prospect that temperatures will flirt with 50-degrees before crashing behind a cold front later Sunday the period in which icing is to be a major problem is to occur from now through around 9-11 pm Saturday night.

The storm's brief spell of snow has led to accumulations of 0.5" at Midway and 1" at O'Hare as of this 2:45 pm filing. Observer Phil Rider at Mundelein reported .9" followed by a change to sleet, and here at WGN snowfall totaled about 3/4" before turning to sleet and freezing rain.

Freezing rain is now coating colder outdoor surfaces. The weight of this ice and the gusty winds accompanying it increase the risk that tree limbs and even some power lines may come down in portions of the metro area.

Further updates will appear here during the course of the storm. Be safe!

Tom Skilling WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist
Steve Kahn WGN-TV Weather Center Meteorologist

International Space Station and the Space Shuttle visible from Chicago this evening (weather permitting) for 6 minutes.

We know from past experience that many of you may be interested is watching the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle move across Chicago area skies and want to provide you information on how to see it. Our astronomer Dan Joyce tells us the following is to be the sequence of events this (Wednesday) evening if you wish to view the southeast-moving International Space Station and the Space Shuttle from Chicago over a short 6 minute span.

6:43 P.M.: The International Space Station, a small moving object in the sky a little larger than a planet, will appear just above the west/northwest horizon at 6:43 p.m. moving southeastward.

6: 44 P.M. The Space Shuttle follows a minute later moving in the same direction

6:46 P.M. The International Space Station move to a position 26-degrees above the horizon—its highest point in the sky

6:49 P.M. The Space Shuttle sinks below the south/southeast horizon

Some areas of lake effect clouds, similar to those in the city as this is posted at 11:30 a.m. are expected to continue from time to time this afternoon and evening over extreme northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana and represent the only potential threat to viewing over sections of the Chicago metro area. But in areas farther west of Lake Michigan, clear viewing is expected. Clouds are expected to begin arriving -- but later tonight.

Tom Skilling
WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune Chief Meteorologist