Northwest Indiana Discussion

Take a look at this map

http://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.p ... zard+Watch

2 products issued by NWS for: 3 Miles NNE Chicago IL
Blizzard Watch

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
333 PM CST SUN JAN 30 2011

...MAJOR WINTER STORM TO IMPACT THE REGION TUESDAY INTO
WEDNESDAY...

.THE FIRST PHASE OF THE UPCOMING WINTER STORM WILL BEGIN MONDAY
AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY MORNING FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM THE
FIRST PHASE ARE EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN 2 AND 4 INCHES ACROSS THESE
AREAS. THE FOCUS THEN TURNS TOWARDS THE LARGER EVENT TUESDAY
AFTERNOON AND CONTINUES THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

A DEVELOPING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO SLIDE EAST OF
THE ROCKIES INTO EASTERN TEXAS MONDAY NIGHT AND RAPIDLY
STRENGTHEN AS IT SLIDES NORTH TUESDAY. THE PRECISE TRACK OF THE
LOW CONTINUES TO WOBBLE WITH EACH NEW MODEL RUN...HOWEVER
RELATIVE CONSISTENCY OF A TRACK FROM CENTRAL ARKANSAS NORTH TO
CENTRAL INDIANA BY WEDNESDAY MORNING LOOKS TO BE THE MOST
PROBABLE TRACK. THIS WOULD PLACE THE AXIS OF THE HEAVIEST
SNOWFALL TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE TRACK OF THE LOW PRESSURE...OR
ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA.

AS THE LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO SLIDE NORTH AND STRENGTHEN...
NORTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND BRING
A FLOW OF COLD AIR ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN AIDING IN THE GENERATION
OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW TUESDAY EVENING. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO RAMP
UP WITH SUSTAINED WINDS TUESDAY EVENING BETWEEN 25 AND 35 MPH
WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH POSSIBLE. NORTHEAST WINDS THEN CONTINUE
TO STRENGTHEN TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY MORNING WEDNESDAY WITH
GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE. THIS IN COMBINATION WITH THE FALLING
SNOW MAY CREATE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AND WHITE OUT CONDITIONS. AS
THE LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO LIFT NORTH INTO CENTRAL INDIANA
WEDNESDAY MORNING...WINDS WILL BEGIN TO TURN NORTHERLY AND BRING
THE LAKE ENHANCED SNOWFALL TO NORTHWEST INDIANA.

BY LATER WEDNESDAY THE SNOW FROM THE DEPARTING WINTER STORM WILL
BE WINDING DOWN ACROSS THE AREA BUT A BAND OF SIGNIFICANT LAKE
EFFECT SNOW IS EXPECTED IN NORTHWEST INDIANA WHERE SEVERAL
ADDITIONAL INCHES OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE BEFORE THE LAKE EFFECT
SHIFTS FURTHER OFF TO THE EAST INTO SOUTHWESTERN LOWER MICHIGAN
AND NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA.

COMBINED SNOW TOTALS FROM THE MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MAY EXCEED A FOOT AND A HALF ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND
FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA. SNOWFALL RATES UP TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR WILL
BE PROBABLE AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM TUESDAY NIGHT.

THE STORM SYSTEM WILL BE AFFECTING A LARGE PORTION OF THE
SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES...MIDWEST AND OHIO VALLEY REGIONS. ANYONE
WITH TRAVEL PLANS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...INCLUDING THOSE
TRAVELING THROUGH CHICAGO OHARE AND MIDWAY AIRPORTS...SHOULD
CONTINUE TO MONITOR LATER FORECASTS REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THIS WINTER STORM..

ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>023-032-033-039-INZ001-002-010-011-019-
310545-
/O.CON.KLOT.BZ.A.0001.110201T1800Z-110203T0000Z/
WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE IL-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK-
LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON-IROQUOIS-FORD-
LAKE IN-PORTER-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROCKFORD...BELVIDERE...WOODSTOCK...
WAUKEGAN...OREGON...DIXON...DEKALB...AURORA...WHEATON...CHICAGO...
OTTAWA...OSWEGO...MORRIS...JOLIET...KANKAKEE...PONTIAC...
WATSEKA...PAXTON...GARY...VALPARAISO...MOROCCO...RENSSELAER...
FOWLER
333 PM CST SUN JAN 30 2011 /433 PM EST SUN JAN 30 2011/

...BLIZZARD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

A BLIZZARD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

* TIMING...HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL SPREAD NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE
AREA MIDDAY TUESDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. AS THE
SNOWFALL FROM THE STORM SYSTEM STARTS TO WIND DOWN DURING
WEDNESDAY MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL
HAVE DEVELOPED ON THE ILLINOIS SIDE OF THE LAKE. INCREASINGLY
HEAVY AND MORE CONCENTRATED LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL SHIFT INTO
FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA DURING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND PERSIST
INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING BEFORE SHIFTING FURTHER OFF TO THE EAST
INTO SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA.

* ACCUMULATIONS...TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN EXCESS OF 12 INCHES IN
NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND IN EXCESS OF 18 INCHES OVER
NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AS WELL AS NORTHWEST
INDIANA. LOCAL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 24 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN
FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA...DEPENDING ON EXACTLY WHERE THE LAKE
EFFECT SNOW BAND SETS UP AND HOW PERSISTENT IT IS OVER ANY ONE
LOCATION.

* HAZARDS...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WITH CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND
DRIFTING SNOW AND FREQUENT WHITE OUT CONDITIONS.

* IMPACTS...NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TRAVEL CONDITIONS AS SNOW WILL BE
ACCUMULATING AT A RAPID RATE DURING THE PEAK OF THE SNOW STORM
TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW IN
NORTHWEST INDIANA LATER WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY EVENING WILL
CONTINUE TO SNARL TRAVEL THERE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FALLING AND/OR
BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES.
THIS CAN LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND MAKE TRAVEL VERY
DANGEROUS.

&&

$$

BEACHLER/BARDOU






Hazardous Weather Outlook

Storm could be one for the record books



Planes at O'Hare were buried in the blizzard of 1979 when 16.5 inches of snow fell in one day on Jan. 13. We're expected to get 20 inches starting Tuesday night.

Chicago meteorologists plan to bring cots and a change of clothes to work this week as a massive blizzard is expected to dump up to 20 inches of snow starting Tuesday.

A blizzard watch will be in effect starting Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon for all of northeastern Illinois, according to the National Weather Service.

Current forecasts predict about 20 inches of snow for portions of southern Cook, DuPage, Kane and Will Counties and 18 inches for most of northeastern Illinois.

“I wouldn't want to be trying to get anywhere,” said Bill Nelson, Observation Program Leader for the National Weather Service. “We are planning on bringing in a couple of cots in case we get stuck.”

Light snow is expected to begin falling Monday night, but the heavy snowfall will begin falling midday Tuesday and through Wednesday afternoon.

Meteorologists predict the blizzard will produce whiteout conditions as 40 to 45 mph winds combine with snow falling at a pace of 2 to 4 inches per hour during portions of the storm, Nelson said.

The biggest storm to ever hit Chicago totaled 23 inches in 1967, but meteorologists predict the upcoming blizzard might break records.

“If everything pans out like we think right now, it will be right there at the top,” Nelson said.

The storm is expected to die down early Wednesday afternoon, but lake effect snow might persist into Wednesday night on the Illinois side of the lake before shifting into northwestern Indiana.

Read more: http://dailyherald.com/article/20110130 ... z1CdaQclKe

Son's college roommate is already stuck in Indianapolis with freezing rain. Snowflakes in Valpo - anywhere else?

Area expected to be bombarded by blizzard

Forecasters expect Northwest Indiana and northern Illinois to have more than 20 inches of snow in the next few days.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard watch and hazardous weather outlook Sunday to warn residents of the dangerous conditions.

Officials decided to call the expected storm a blizzard watch because strong winds could cause whiteout conditions, said Bill Nelson, an observation program leader at the Chicago office of the NWS.

"(We expect to see) up to a possible two feet in northwestern Indiana by the time everything is said and done," Nelson said.

Heavy snowfall could complicate travel at Chicago's Midway Airport and O'Hare International Airport.

Karen Pride, director of media relations for the Chicago Department of Aviation, said officials are aware extreme weather conditions are expected. She said the department monitors weather 24 hours a day through four reporting services.

"We base the staffing on what the conditions are predicted to be," Pride said.

Snow is expected to begin falling Monday and continue through Wednesday, according to the NWS. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-20s, which will create a heavy, wet snow, Nelson said.

Pride encourages travelers to check with individual airlines instead of the airports for delays or cancellations before heading to the airports.

"The airport does not cancel flights; the airlines do," she said. "The airport does not de-ice planes; the airlines do."

NWS officials will be working diligently to keep their website updated, Nelson said.

Official snowfall counts and more predictions for the area are available at www.crh.noaa.gov/lot/.

Hubby away on business. Hopefully, I can remember the 5 yes 5 steps needed to start the snowmobile.

Blizzard continues to rage, drifts may reach 6 to 7 feet later tonight

Weather conditions across the Chicago area have gone from bad to worse over the past couple of hours as winds gusting to 60mph whip heavy snow into drifts. Intense thundersnow is now moving into northeast Illinois and weather conditions will continue to go downhill throughout the night. The situation is going to get a lot worse overnight before things slowly improve tomorrow.