Monday, March 4, 2013

March 4-6 High-Impact Midwest/Plains Winter Storm

I am still sticking with my current forecast projection as the storm nears the still-uncertain areas in Chicago and the Midwest. I find that the 6-10 inch swath of snow remains valid in the face of new model runs that remain steadfast with snow in those areas. The forecast challenge comes along with the Chicagoland area in particular, where recent model runs have been toying with the idea of moving this heavy snowfall area a bit further south, while other regional model try to keep it in a position that would most certainly dump lots of snow across the entire northern Illinois area.



Because Chicago is in the zone of uncertainty, I made a regional snowfall forecast so the people in this massive city can get a better view of what I think is headed their way. At this time, lake enhancement appears likely, allowing me to add a small zone in white right along the western shore of Lake Michigan that includes the city and suburbs of Chicago. Current thinking is that 6-10 inches area-wide is a solid bet, with the higher end totals the farther east towards the city you go.

Andrew