Chicago Area Bracing for What Could be Biggest Snow Event of the Season

Posted: March 2, 2023 9:06 am

The calendar may now read March, however, snow is still in the forecast for the Chicago area. In fact, the Windy City may experience its biggest snowfall of the winter season by the end of the week. Here is what you need to know.

Snow Moving Into Chicago by Friday

It has been a sparse winter for snow for Chicago. The city along the shores of Lake Michigan is in the middle of a snow deficit, however, a developing winter storm may increase these snow totals in the coming days. Heavy snow is in the forecast for Friday as a late-winter storm system churns from the Plains and into the Northeast.

This is the same weather maker that will be responsible for the severe weather chances across the southern U.S. and more snow for the northeastern corner of the country. Because the Chicago area will be in the northwestern corner of the storm system, the moisture may fall as rain before turning to snow. Colder air moving into the region is expected to be enough to support the development of snow.

Timing of Snow

The storm that is gearing up to drop snow across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes by the end of the week has already got its start out West. The Southwest saw rain and snow on Wednesday as a result of this system. You can expect the storm to move across the southern Plains and the Mississippi Valley on Thursday.

As it moves into this part of the country, it will bring up some of the moisture-rich air from the Gulf of Mexico, giving it more energy and precipitation to work with as it heads in a northeasterly direction. This increased energy will also set the stage for the development of potentially severe thunderstorms and tornadoes across the south-central U.S.

Thunderstorms packing hail and strong winds are in the cards on Thursday for areas such as Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. By Friday, the storm threat will move into the Ohio Valley. The colder northern edge of the system will be where the snow fires up.

Temperatures hovering below the freezing mark late Thursday and early Friday in Chicago will provide the necessary conditions for snow to develop in time for the morning commute. While accumulation will likely be light during the morning rush hour, motorists should be prepared for more snow and inclement conditions by the afternoon commute.

The exact track of the storm will determine who sees significant snow and who only escapes with rain out of this storm system. There is the chance that those that see rain may see this moisture transition to snow before the weather moves out.

Snowfall Accumulation Predictions

Be aware that even after the precipitation moves out late Friday, the cold overnight temperatures heading into Saturday will allow for this snow or ice to hang on the roads for some time. Many people will need to take care if headed out early Saturday.

The current forecast for Chicago is predicting 6 to 10 inches of snow in the city and in the northern and western suburbs. The southern suburbs will likely get away with a snowfall accumulation ranging from 3 to 6 inches.

Temperatures that land around the freezing mark will translate to snow that is wet and heavy in nature. Snow of this composition is more difficult to shovel because of its weight. It is also more likely to bring down tree limbs and trigger power outages.

Historical Snow Totals for Chicago

Much like the rest of the eastern half of the country, Chicago has not seen as much snow this winter season. The snowiest day of the year happened on January 25 when O’Hare International Airport saw 3.6 inches of accumulation. The city’s official measurement site at this airport is now at 17.9 inches for the season. This number is far below the historical average through the end of February, normally sitting at 31.6 inches of snow. To put into further perspective, 28.6 inches of snow had been measured at O’Hare at this point of the season last year.

Forecasters are predicting a colder weather pattern to track across the northern U.S. in the next few weeks. These temperatures could provide the impetus for more snow development in the coming weeks in places such as Chicago.

Did you find this content useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline for reference later.

Recent Posts