A more active pattern is developing in terms of snowfall in the coming two weeks with three potential systems currently being monitored as possible Chicago snow-makers.
Midweek Snow Up First
First, a moderate mid-week Wednesday and Wednesday night system will bring snow showers/flurries into Thursday.
The weekend snow produced a swath of 1 to 2 inch snow totals across portions of the Chicago area–including O’Hare’s first 1″+ accumulation in the 30 days since Sec 22. Still, Chicago’s snow tally is abysmally low for this point in a season just 6.2″ down compared to the normal to date of 17.3″. That’s a total which is just 36% normal.
Nature is to begin addressing that deficit with what looks like a moderate intensity snow–perhaps something in the 3 to 5″ range in the Wed/Wed night time frame with flurries or snow showers spilling over into Thursday.
The predicted track of that system, currently over the Southwest U.S. would take the low from northeast Texas late Tuesday up the Ohio Valley. That would keep the heaviest snow south of Chicago. But its substantive north side snow shield will reach well north of the storm center into Chicago and, by standards of the sub-par snow season we have going in 2022-23, a noteworthy enough snow.
How much snow will Chicago get?
Here are the current probabilities of potential snowfalls with the first system due in here Wed and Wed night as calculated from a “blend” of model forecasts. Remember, track forecasts are perishable-they can shift. A more northerly track would introduce more snow than is currently indicated–so it will be wise to monitor forecasts in the days to come:
2 inches — 85%
3 inches — 53%
4 inches — 47%
6 inches — 8%
Second snow possible this weekend
A second system comes in this weekend.
Interestingly preliminary guidance on a second system this weekend suggests it might be a more prolific snow producer than the first one. So it should be an interesting week for following the weather.
For the latest weather updates, check out the WGN Weather blog.
More snow possible next week
And in the longer range there are hints of a third possible next Tuesday night/Wed, though less certain.
And colder temps too
Additionally, a markedly colder pattern is on the way later this week but even more so next week. The colder temp predicted become quite noticeable as time passes. While this is to average 28 deg compared to last week’s 12-deg above normal 37, next week’s temps here could average 13-deg–a jarring temp drop which suggests a formidably colder weather pattern with a get stream roaring into the Lower 48 from Canada is to take place.