The Chicago 'Snowstorm Drought' to End Today/Tonight?

[donsutherland1]

There has been much discussion of a 'snow drought' or 'snow bubble' during the two instances this season that it appeared that Chicago stood a good chance at receiving a significant snowfall.

The first instance saw me bust and the hopes of Chicagoans crushed at least as badly.

The latest and now ongoing opportunity, however, looks much better and a solid 6"-12" snowfall looks reasonable.

A closer look at Chicago's climatology reveals that even though the City averages 38.0" snowfall per season, Chicago sees a 10" snowstorm once every three years.

The last such occurrence was January 30-31, 2002. Last winter saw no such snowstorms, hence the thirst for snow eminating out of the Windy City.

For those who are interested, the longest snowstorm drought without a 10" snowstorm in Chicago ran from February 12, 1981 to January 1, 1999. That's almost 18 years!

How Chicago's snow geese avoided extinction during that time remains a wonder.

Perhaps it was memories, alone that sustained them. Perhaps Chicago's mother snow geese read to their little ones, "Once upon a time in 1967, there was a huge snowstorm that buried the city in a blanket of white almost two feet thick:

<img src="http://wintercenter.homestead.com/files/chi1967.jpg">
Calumet Expressway near 138th Street (Source: NOAA Historical Photo Collection)

When the last snowflake had fallen to top off the accumulation, the story ended happily for Chicago's snow geese."

Maybe Chicago's snow geese clung to memories of a more recent January 13-14, 1979 blizzard.

Still, Chicago's snow geese survived an 18-year snow famine, and maybe this is the reason, the one-year absence of a big snowfall seemed to loom so large.

Today and tonight, it appears that Chicago's snow geese will be fed for the first time this season. For those of us who have already enjoyed generous snowfall this season--namely in the Northeast--we can understand the joy and enthusiasm shared by our cousins in Chicago.

May Chicago see a foot (or perhaps more).

Enjoy nature's finest crystal as it falls from the sky.

[Stormsfury]

Good writeup, Don.

And it's good to see it spread around this go-around ...

Including Seattle and other portions of the country ... the Southland's turn will hopefully be coming up soon with the potential of a suppressed storm followed by a potential bigger system ...

The variability theme continues strong.

SF

[wx247]

yes... Chicago looking good for a storm. They really did miss out on the snow last season because it was all down here. :o

[donsutherland1]

Thanks, SF.

I agree and also hope that the Deep South and Lower Mid-Atlantic can also enjoy at least one significant snowfall before the season is finished. The idea of a bigger system after the next weekend still looks reasonably good. Whether it, too, will be suppressed is another matter, but at least some of the East Coast may get to enjoy a big storm.

Up here in the NE, I fully expect much more snowfall before the winter is finished, so I'm not worried by the temporary lag in snowfall.

[wx247]

The January thaw... *sigh* looks to be ending in the Midwest... and in a big time way.

[Pebbles]

Well it's official!!!!! You know there is lotsa snow on the ground when personal household items start showing up on your block to 'save' dugout parking spots (you are not a real born and raised Chicago guy or gal if you don't do this)!!!!! Yes we got lotsa snow on the ground...yes I recruited a few of the local kids and my own with the promise of little green rectangles that will be exchanged for candy at the corner gas station to pull the shovels out of the garage....and it's still falling!

BTW sure no one remembers me but I was posting on the tropics board but well....ended up having a baby *grins* so disappeared the past couple of months. But I know you die hard winter buffs would like an update from the windy city.

Can't give you a measure of how much snow is in the yard as it's flying all over and it's drifting from the roofs and think we may be getting a tad more cause I am so close to the lake and we may be getting some lake effect in there but would guess there is at LEAST 6 inches...will take the ruler out in the morning and check different parts of the yard for my 'official yard totals'.

Now the next bet is how many days it will be before Mayor Daley announces that we must remove them above mentioned personal household items from the sidestreets or they will disappear when he sends the garbage trucks around specifically to collect them *snickers*

[weatherlover427]

I remember you ... congrats on the baby! Have fun with your snow and don't lose your household items! :o

[JCT777]

Thanks for update, Christine. And yes - I do remember you from the tropical forum. Nice to see you posting again! Oh, and congratulations on the birth of your baby.

[wx247]

congrats on the baby... and by the way, thanks for the update. Glad to see the snow is being spread across the nation this winter.

[WXBUFFJIM]

A huge congrats on the birth of your baby. Updates from the windy city are not a bad thing. With the snow you folks had, hopefully there will be more later this week into next weekend too. However that event looks relatively minor compared to the one we just went through.

Jim