WEATHER SNAP SHOTS: October 2008 Archives

CHICAGO TUESDAY NOV. 4 ELECTION DAY WEATHER FORECAST
AND OBAMA RALLY WEATHER UPDATE
There has been no change in our Election Day weather forecast for Chicago. The area continues in line for the mildest Election Day weather which has occurred in Chicago in 44 years since Election Day (Nov. 3) 1964 when the city's official high was 75 degrees.

TUESDAY NOV. 4 ELECTION DAY FORECAST
Issued Friday Oct. 31
Mainly sunny, breezy and unseasonably warm. Temperatures 16 degrees above normal! Completely rain-free! South to southwest winds 11 to 23 m.p.h. with some gusts. (Normal Nov. 4 high: 54 degrees). Highs approaching 70 degrees.

OBAMA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING RALLY
Scheduled to run from 8 p.m. Tuesday evening to 1 a.m. Wednesday morning
Scattered clouds, breezy and unusually mild. Rain-free! Temperatures at the start of the rally near 64 degrees falling to 56 degrees by the rally's end.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune

Our friend Anson Mount turns the camera on himself for this photo. If you're a regular visitor to our blog, you recognize Anson's name from the many postings of his photos over the years.
We wanted you to have a chance to actually see him. Anson's a pilot, and here we see him at work in the pilot's seat. Check out Anson's shot of a temperature inversion on a flight from Waukegan to Watertown, Wis., taken Thursday. He tells us the inversion topped out around 2,500 feet -- an observation which matches vertical temperature "soundings" which were taken over the area yesterday. Happy Halloween Anson!
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune

Photo courtesy of Anson Mount, Waukegan, Illinois

Thanks go out to Gina Tedesco from the Morton Arboretum who was kind enough to share
these pictures of this fall's spectacular display of color, which she describes as the "best
in a long time."

Photo courtesy: Gina Tedesco

Kurt Neumaier reports large, heavy snowflakes fell for nearly 20 minutes and stuck to
everything in Saint John, Indiana. It was the area’s first snow. What great
photos---thanks Kurt!

Photos courtesy of Kurt Neumaier, Saint John, Indiana

We often show you Weather Bug video of weather conditions in Algonquin as observed
from Ericson Marina. Anson Mount, a frequent photo contributor to this blog, snapped and
submitted this shot of the Marina which sits on the Fox River there. Tuesday's wispy
cirrostratus---which take on the appearance of mares' tails---hover above. Thanks
Anson!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy of Anson Mount, Algonquin

When snow melts and refreezes again while falling, it takes on an almost
kernel-like appearance. Such snow is referred to as graupel snow,
pictured here. These photos come to us from Chuck Heaver who shot them
in Union Pier, Michigan. The lake-effect set up behind Monday night's
rain and snow showers is occurring from roughly Porter County, Indiana
east. The warm 54-degree lake waters are responsible for imparting some
warmth to the atmosphere there which is melting the snowflakes falling
from cold clouds aloft. This refreezing of the partially melted
snowflakes is producing the graupel which Chuck's photos show
accumulating on the still warm ground in the Michigan lake snow belt.

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Chuck Heaver, Union Pier, Michigan

Tyler Christiansen e-mails this shot of Sunday's precipitation producing towering
cumulus and asks if they are some sort of snow squall or snow rollers. What you're
seeing Tyler is swath of falling snow which would, given the powerful winds in play
Sunday, come closest to a snow squall. Great shot—thanks Tyler.

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Tyler Christiansen

Sunday's powerhouse cold front was accompanied by eye-catching cloud formations
many of you have been good enough to send us. Ross and Amy Jones snapped these
shots around 4 p.m. in Plainfield, Illinois of towering cumulus clouds from which a wispy
region of falling snow is evident--what might be called a "snow shaft". Temperatures
were very cold just above the ground supporting the swath of falling snow which is
evident in these terrific shots. Thanks Ross and Amy!

Photos courtesy of Ross and Amy Jones, Plainfield, Illinois

Check these marvelous shots taken near Michigan City High School of mammatus
clouds which appear to hang from the underside of an anvil-shaped towering cumulus
clouds. Tama Pickford was good enough to send these along and asks in her
accompanying e-mail is these are "upside down" clouds. It certainly looks that way,
doesn't it? Mammatus clouds DO have the appearance of hanging from a cloud deck
above so Tama's description is a good one. This formation occurred as a powerful cold
front roared across the area--a development which sent temperatures tumbling and
produced the first official flakes of snow at both Midway and O'Hare in Chicago Sunday
afternoon and evening. Thanks Tama for the great shots!

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Tama Pickford, Chesterton, Ind.

Many thanks to Chuck Hagen of Oak Lawn for sharing these beautiful fall photos taken Sunday at Starved Rock State Park at Utica!

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Chuck Hagen, Oak Lawn, Illinois

Tracey Surface of Chicago shared with us some amazing lightning photos Friday night,
including the one shown below. Thanks Tracey!
--WGN-TV Weather Center

Photo courtesty of Tracey Surface, Chicago

Quarter- to half-inch-sized hail was reported at several locations Friday afternoon as
rain clouds overspread the Chicagoland region. Locations reporting hail included
Elburn, Sugar Grove, Crown Point, Munster, Flossmoor, Lake Zurich and Plano. Matthew
Cumberland was kind enough to share these photos of the hail that fell in Plano. Also
added is a photo from Greg Huggins in Sugar Grove. Thanks Matthew and Greg!
--WGN-TV Weather Center

Photos courtesy of Matthew Cumberland, Plano, Ill.

Photo courtesy of Greg Huggins

Mike Frankowski was kind enough to share this wonderful fall photo with us. Mike took
the picture today (Oct. 24, 2008) along the Illinois Prairie Path in Wayne, Ill. Thanks Mike!
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune

Photo courtesy of Mike Frankowski, South Elgin

Maxine Levy of Arlington Heights was kind enough to share these wonderful pictures with
us. Thanks Maxine!
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune

Photos courtesy of Maxine Levy, Arlington Heights, Illinois

Jim Bayne sends us such fascinating photos -- and these images are no exception!
Jim e-mailed to say:

"I went out on a boat this morning and happily rode the waves as I captured the attached
shots . . . a bit rough and windy as I enjoyed the HIGH temps of this week (or so) . . . the
boating season lives on for yet another day!"

It does indeed, Jim! THANKS as always for sharing these shots with us!

--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune

Photos courtesy of Jim Bayne, Chicago

This is truly eye-catching! Luis Tamayo, a photographer originally from
Northbrook and now living in Virginia with his wide who is stationed
there and is an officer in the U.S. Navy, shares this remarkable photo
of a cloud with an uncanny similarity to an Eagle. Luis explains how
this photo came to be:

" We had taken a few days to do some sight seeing in western Virginia
with my in-laws who where visiting from Japan. Just before we where
about to check-out of the hotel, my father in-law called me to the balcony,
I was amazed at what I saw. He ran to the car to get the digital camera,
I pulled out my Nokia cellular phone and took the picture you see. By the
time he returned with the camera, the eagle's beak was dissipating."

It's an amazing shot! Thanks for sharing it with us Luis!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy of Luis G. Tamayo, Suffolk, Virginia

Check out fog rolling off Amanda Pickett’s pond in Winfield, Indiana Tuesday morning.
Amanda includes some other photos, including a picture of her kittens Pixie and Shelley
who were out enjoying all the beauty of an autumn day in northwest Indiana! Thanks
Amanda!

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Amanda Pickett, Winfield, Indiana

Gorgeous rainbow shot over Lake Michigan taken by Kim Piotrowski looking out her office
window Tuesday. Thanks Kim for the great shot!

Colden M. Searles shares this amazing photo of the rainbow produced near Chicago’s
lakefront by lake-effect rain showers which swept ashore over Tuesday’s lunch hour.
What a fantastic shot! Thanks Colden!!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy of Colden M. Searles, Chicago

Monday started with such promise. Our friend pilot Anson Mount was flying over Lake
Michigan before clouds thicken and the rains arrived and shares this shot with us. Thanks
Anson!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy of Anson Mount, Algonquin, Illinois

Our thanks to Tom Janito for this great shot of Sunday's (10/19/2008)
altocumulus clouds over the Fox River in Oswego! This is beautiful.
THANKS Tom!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy: Tom Janito

Chuck Hagen of Oak Lawn shares with us some beautiful fall photos from Waterfall Glen
in southeastern DuPage County. Thanks so much Chuck, and on a personal note, we wish
you the very best this weekend!
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune

Photos courtesy of Chuck Hagen, Oak Lawn

Mike McLaughlin of Roanoke, Indiana sends us this beautiful shot of the
fall colors in Maine. He snapped this shot September 29 in Soamsville,
Maine on Mt. Desert Island. It's beautiful--thanks for sharing this with
us, Mike!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy of Mike McLaughlin of Roanoke, Indiana

Curt Renz, who for year’s reported on business for WCIU with our friend and former WGN
alum Jack Taylor, is always wonderful in sharing his twin passions for astronomy and
photography for us. Curt sends us these shots taken from Arlington Height Tuesday
evening of the Hunter’s Moon. He snapped this 19 minutes after moonrise and 5 minutes
before sunset at 6:06 p.m. THANKS Curt!

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Curt Renz, Arlington Heights

Tracey Surface sent us these great pictures of Tuesday evening's full moon.

Thanks Tracy!

Photo courtesy: Tracey Surface

Our thanks to Jim Marocchi for more shots of the Chicago area's maturing
fall colors. Thanks Jim!

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Jim Marocchi

Mike Frankowski’s photos are always a treat—and his newest set of photos is NO
exception. Check out Mike’s eye-catching collection of fall color shots taken Tuesday
in northwest suburban Busse Woods.

Thanks Mike!!

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Mike Frankowski of South Elgin, Illinois

Gerard J. Fabrizius farms in Maple Park, Illinois and snapped these photos while out
doing morning chores. His wife Judy tells us Gerard is a hay farmer and points out the
photos reveal round bales of hay. Great shots! Our thanks to Judy and Gerard Fabrizius
for sharing these with us!

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Judy and Gerard Fabrizius, Maple Park, Illinois

Barb Stover in far west suburban Elburn sends us this photo of the sharp demarcation
between clouds and clear skies Tuesday morning. The extremely well defined cut-off
between overcast and cloud-free skies was just as dramatic in appearance on satellite
images of our area. There are times when the juxtapositioning of moist and dry air
leads to this sort of sharp cut-off in a cloud deck—and this morning was clearly one of
them. Thanks for sharing this with us, Barb!

Tom Skilling


Photo courtesy of Barb Stover from Elburn, Illinois

The first snow of the season hit Cedar City Utah this weekend.
--By Steve Kahn, WGN Weather Center Meteorologist

Photo by Gail Miller

The weather's beautiful on the Door Peninsula this weekend. So reports Anson Mount
who shares this Friday evening (October 10) sunset with us. THANKS as always, Anson!
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune

Photo courtesy of Anson Mount

Autumn is always a beautiful time of the year -- and nowhere more so than in Wisconsin
where this year's fall colors are out big time! Check out these photos from our friend Dan
Hanson in Winter. Wis. The community of Winter is located in northwest Wisconsin
approximately halfway between Eau Claire and Chippewa Dan and the Wisconsin/Upper
Michigan border.

Dan tells us colors there peaked last weekend -- but as you can see from his terrific
shots, there is still real beauty on display for all to see. And the spread of this season's
fall colors is evident elsewhere in Wisconsin south to the Chicago area! Our THANKS to
Dan for the great shots!
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune

Photos courtesy of Dan Hanson, Winter, Wisconsin

Connie Kohler e-mails us with this BEAUTIFUL shot of the fall colors in Waupaca,
Wisconsin! Many thanks Connie!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy of Connie Koehler, Waupaca, Wisc.

The first sticking snow arrived at Valdez, Alaska Tuesday. Dave Noble, who lives there,
sends us these great photos from our 49th state and writes :

“I have been an avid reader of your blog for 2.5 years now. I live in Valdez and work for
the National Weather Service. On Tuesday Oct 6th, we had our first measurable
snowfall.. 2.3 inches. Since 1972, we had never received snow on that date before. I
thought I would send you some pictures. There was a Grizzly bear outside of town that
morning sniffing around for dead silver salmon to devour while seagulls and eagles
looked on. We (the onlookers) were around 50 yards away from the bear...”

Dave—you're great to share this information with us! MANY THANKS and please don't
hesitate to write us or send pictures anytime! All the best!

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Dave Noble, Valdez, Alaska

An photo update taken by Anson Tuesday in Orlando.

The cool nights of recent weeks have encouraged the development of fall colors. Though
still patchy, Chuck Hagen of Oak Lawn, Illinois managed to capture these examples near
Maple Lake in Hickory Hills and shares them with us. Thanks Chuck!!

Tom Skilling

Photos courtesy of Chuck Hagen

Our friend, pilot Anson Mount, shares this shot of a thunderstorm bearing down on
Orlando, Florida Monday. The National Business Aircraft Association is holding its
convention there. Anson says he snapped this photo of the approaching thunderstorm
from his 16th floor hotel room. Thanks Anson!

Tom Skilling

Photo courtesy: Anson Mount