10:30 Update: I've posted the "Pressure Tendency" map to the left (as of 10pm CST). Looking at how the barometric pressure is rising or falling can determine where the highest snowfall totals will be. The brighter red colors indicate where the pressure is falling the fastest. The brighter blue indicates where the pressure is rising the fastest. Finding the biggest pressure falls often indicates where the most snow will fall during the next few hours. This would be right on target as a big area of snow is now moving up from St. Louis. This will be an important map to watch as the night progresses. I will post the midnight data so we can compare! -ERIC
8:30pm Update: Evening models continue to trickle in. If anything, the track may be 15 miles east which would still put the eastern half of the viewing area in the 10"+. 6-12" forecast for the metro still holds tonight as we have yet to see what kind of snowfall rates will come in. Not to mention if we can get some convective elements (thundersnow). That always promotes snowfall rates. What is certain is the fact that the heaviest snow will fall somewhere between Chicago and Rockford tonight with little/no snow around Dubuque. -ERIC6:40 Update: Snow is expected to begin in the Rockford area around 10pm news time. Hopefully everyone has heeded the advice and gotten all the goodies that will last you for a while. I am about to take an hour to get some stuff for the overnight stay here at the station. We have a whole team of people that will be here to update you through the night.
Our evening computer models start generating output around 8:30pm so I will give you an update there. Don't forget the CW News@9 as well! I've pasted an image from Microcast that shows where the heaviest snowtotals are likely to be seen. Places like Princeton, Mendota, Rochelle, DeKalb, Monroe Center, Belvidere, Marengo, Woodstock, and Lake Geneva will have a pretty decent chance of adding up more than a foot here. One thing I want you to notice is how drastically the snow cuts off to the west. Areas around Dubuque may only see a dusting to an inch out of this system. Also notice Chicago! Their temperature by 7am may be in the middle 30s...impossible to see major accumulations with those temperatures. So it appears right now that this is a storm that has it's sights directly on Northern Illinois!
More to come through the evening! -ERIC
15 comments:
Thanks for the update Eric. I'll be sure to keep my tv on wrex throughout the night :)
Thanks for keeping us posted. I only watch WREX weather. We'll be watching for school closings.
Well thanks! I'm glad that someone's going to watch when I do cutins in the middle of the night! :)
Glad I don't have a job right now or any interviews tomorrow!! I hate the first few snowfalls because of those drivers who "forget" how to drive in the snow.
I think your the best Eric, so is WREX. I hope we actually get this snow instead of it going around us like it always does.
Eric, do you think there is the potential for school closings?
Thanks for the updates.
Yes. As always, we'll get them in between 4 and 5am. Usually we'll have a few closings/delays into the newsroom by this time. Perhaps no one believes our snow forecast! :-)
Well I noticed it's starting to snow ever so lightly here.. (SE Rockford) Hopefully that means our atmosphere has a bit more moisture and is ready to start cranking out alot of snow :)
I am just waiting..for snow..
WHEN WILL IT COME????
AHHHHHHHH!!
You told us you would have a midnight update. Where is it!?! I wanna see it please!!!!!
midnight update coming soon?
C'mon guys, leave poor Eric alone, he's probaly busy.
Besides, how much of an update do you need? The radars tell most of the story. And snow is coming down pretty good over here :)
2 comments --
"Usually we'll have a few closings/delays into the newsroom by this time."
Extra crews are standing by to take them too! (or will be by that point anyway)
"I'm glad that someone's going to watch when I do cutins in the middle of the night!"
Yay! Someone is watching the hard work we do!
-Adam
(Director on duty @ 3am!)
LET IT SNOW!! LET IT SNOW!! LET IT SNOW!! (from an informally educated, unofficial meteorologist). I'm getting used to explaining the weather patterns and stuff to people!!! So, let the snow fall ALL day!!
Great Job! We really appreciate WREX weather. And we're sooooo happy that Eric is now "Chief" Meteorologist. Way to go! Charlotte ~ Byron
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