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Eric Sorensen
Eric has over twelve years of experience in broadcast Meteorology and is the only local Meteorologist who was born and raised in Rockford! In June 2008 he was given the prestigious Silver Dome Award for best TV weathercast from the Illinois Broadcasters Association. He attended St. Edwards Grade School and Boylan High School here in Rockford before heading to Northern Illinois University. After receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree in Meteorology, Eric worked at KTRE-TV in Lufkin, Texas and KLTV in Tyler, Texas. His parents live in Belvidere and are loyal viewers every night. He has an older brother who lives in the Chicagoland area and a sister who watches WREX on a fuzzy tv up in East Troy, Wisconsin. He's happy to share his Rockford home with an 8 year old black lab named Theo. Around the station Theo's been nicknamed the "13 Weather Lab."
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68 comments:
Here in Belvidere already 1 and a half inches. some say we could see 16 inches!! is this possible?
im looking at the radar and it looks like no more in coming. it looks like in iowa its already stopping.???
If you look at the national radar, it looks like there's a ton of moisture moving north still. In fact, the rain line is moving north towards us --I really hope it all stays snow. I'm tired of that sloppy mush!
We've been getting sleet in DeKalb. Is it going to switch to snow here?
landscaping
I'M BETTING ON 2-4 IN BELVIDERE BY MORNING WHO WANTS TO BET?
Welcome, Justin G!
Pragmatics: I already called in "snowbound" for work tomorrow - before I left for home today. Fortunately my co-workers (& boss) are weather savvy enough to agree that was a wise choice. I have the longest commute of anyone in my office (55 miles each way).
i'm joking everybody relax.BUT IT DID QUIT SNOWING HERE
Is there any chance that the storm will fall apart or dissipate and leave us with a lesser snowfall total?
JUST A NICE STEADY RAIN SOUTH OF BELVIDERE NO SNOW YET!TEMP IS 33DEGREES LOOKS LIKE STORM IS LOSING ITS POOP AND BREAKING UP. BETTER GET SNOWING IF WE ARE GETTING 12"
RADAR DOSEN'T LOOK TO IMPRESSIVE THER IS ALOT OF CLEAR PATCHES, ERIC IS THE STORM NOT ORGANIZED YET OR IS IT LOOSING STEAM RADAR PATCHY
WI Wx Buff: Thanks for the welcome! I know what you mean on the commute. I'm still living at home until I get an apartment lined up, so I'm be going about 65 miles each direction for a little while yet. I definitely won't be driving back in the snow tomorrow morning!
pamella: We're still confident that we'll see very heavy snow across the Stateline region tonight. While there is indeed a break in the snowfall right now, another large swath of snow is in Nebraska and Kansas at the moment. That snow is occurring due to a piece of energy that is still expected to move into our area very late tonight.
Justin - Welcome!! Thanks for the update! I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve, wanting to stay up and watch the flakes fly to see how much snow we get! I'll email my friends in Lincoln and beg them to shoo the snow this way!
I will bet alot of school kids are praying the snow picks up to have no school tomorrow, although harlem will probably have school regardless. They said when I was in school that harlem has a reputation of having school everyday.
do you think there will be school? because the radar is looking clean.
The weather channel just showed their radar and it looks like the snow is still moving over us and not many breaks that I saw and even they said as well as eric that we may see 15-16 inches. And like eric said, the heaviest should be overnight. I mainly want a foot of snow because I don't think I have ever seen a snowstorm with a foot of snow around here.
There is a lull in the action out near Riverside and Perryville. Are prior totals still holding up?
BTW- Welcome Justin!
Little update before the 10pm show...
The snow is trying to develop over eastern Iowa, but the main shield of snow is pushing through eastern Kansas into northwest Missouri. Things are still lining up for a major winter storm, but the heaviest snow now looks like it may be delayed until a little closer to daybreak. We are still expecting totals around a foot with locally higher amounts. If you hear thunder overnight tonight, you can plan on picking up 2" or more in an hour.
Major roads are soaked, but not slick at all. I assume theyll get worse later.
So basically, when that low gets closer that is in nebraska, that is then the main show will happen, barring it doesnt decide to take a different route and miss us all together. That is what i guess will detemine if we get the possible foot of snow.
This is what's coming tonight.
tony - We're actually keeping an eye on a couple lows. That piece of energy I mentioned in a previous comment is the upper level low... that's the one that'll be swinging up by Nebraska and affecting us. The big ol' red low that we usually see on the weather map - the surface low - is over Indiana right now and won't be having a direct impact on us.
We're still sitting at 34 in Rockford, so when the snow does fall, it'll start off as a very wet snow. As the night wears on, temperatures will cool and the snow will become fluffier, helping us attain the snowfall totals of a foot or more. -J
They may as well just cancel school now.. we all know its gonna happen.
Eric, remember back in early december you said "Dejavu" for dec 1st 06. You can put that out there again!! this storm looks like it is living up to all the hype. You did an GREAT job with the 10 pm weather. you guys keep us so much more informed than any of the other stations, keep it up, you guys rock!!!!
Thank you F5! We'll be here all night. Looks like some development in Carroll and Whiteside Co. The heavy stuff should be here in a few hours. -ES
I also wanted to say that you guys did a great job on the 10 newscast! I'm glad that we have a snow blower, and not just a shovel! Hopefully we don't have school tomorrow :)
hey eric, i was wondering if you have any stats on the winter of 1978-1979? I almost feel that we are going back in time. The only thing different is that we are getting thaws in between storms.
MORE COFFEE
Well if you did not get your coffee in the store today, your in trouble! Im for sure that WREX has stocked up with the coffee beans :D
adam: That snowblower will be coming in handy. I bet you're happy to have it, especially after this winter...
paulab: I've been able to get a little bit of info so far from the state climatologist office website. The snowiest January in Rockford was in 1979 with 26.1", and 1978-79 was the snowiest season (which runs from July to June) with 74.5".
-JG
Supposedly some reports of thunder snow around QC. Looks like the worst is still to come.
its snowing moderate here in belvidere. i say belvidere already got 4-6 inches.
Well I usually love snow... but this has really got to stop. I gotta go places... I could barely make it to the gas station. It looks like this is still going to last for hours.
Hey justin, how were the roads when you were out. I have to work at 4 this afternoon and I am debating whether to call in to work or not to tell that I cannot make it because of this storm. thanks
Well I was driving my mom's car, and it does alright in the snow. I had to drive about 15 mph the whole way in 2nd gear. But if I was in my car, my tires probably woulda been spinning and would have went nowhere. Take your car out to a major street and see how it handles. If you plan on going to work, leave VERY early.
Roads are horrible in Rockford/Winnebago. HWY 20 is all blowing snow and you can't see in front of you at all. I had a semi pass me and i had to come to a complete stop because he caused more of a white out. I would not recommend going anywhere. I heard bypass 20 is backed up at 11th street. I saw a few cars trying to cross the highway and all that happened was they got stuck because the snowplows are not really plowing that i have noticed.
Wow - hard to believe this all started a little over 24 hours ago - and it is still snowing heavily! Will be interesting to see how much snow we end up with. Already have 2 - 3 ft. drifts, here in Belvidere....
Est. 3 foot drifts in Beloit (Rock Co., WI) also.
The evergreen bushes in front of my house -- you can't see where they are any more; they're completely drifted over. They're about 3' tall (up to the bottoms of the window sills).
Just heard they closed Hwy 75
And I did call into work at the owen center walmart. Based on what they asked when I called, I am assuming lots and lots of people have called in. All they did was ask me if I was calling in, and asked my name and what department I am in and that was it. It will be interesting to see the final totals when this is done. I just cannot provide a reading since I don't knwo how much was on the ground before it started. Plus the drifting. Eric, adam or justin, if it's ok, i can just go out and measure what is in my yard and let u know.
I'm curious about how much snow we've gotten so far.
And I know this is off topic, so if you don't have time to answer, I understand. I was wondering when was the last day that it was mostly sunny? Maybe it hasn't been that long, but it seems like it! I feel like I haven't seen the sun in weeks!
I am suppose to be in Rockford tomorrow morning on East State Street by 10:00am driving from Dixon..Do you think the main roads will be ok for driving tomorrow?
I just went out and shoveled and it looks like it is starting to clear to the west of me. i have 14 inches of snow, and that is away from any drifts. an unreal storm.
Up here the drifts are mountainous! My husband works in Edgerton and he and a coworker were following each other to get home and are now stuck in a drift that buried their 4x4 truck and suburban. Their trying to get out and called from a cell. I dont know how many inches have fallen but it sure is more than we dreamed it would be. Out here in the country is REALLY BAD. My s10 truck is buried in the driveway too, cant even see it. Amazing!!!
Justin Gehrts posting on Eric's account... shh, don't tell him ;)
Footville, WI - we had a huge report from your neck of the woods in Orfordville of 19.5"!! Your truck being buried is... I never thought I'd say this... not surprising. If you could send us a picture, that'd be great. Send it to Eric at esorensen@wrex.com
-JG
We ventured out on a "winter walk" to our neighbor's house three doors down. We had snow up to our knees and higher while walking down the middle of the street. I am hoping the plowing crews are able to get out and start cleaning up.
I just started to work at West Call Center in Loves Park, My Dad took me to work from Durand at 1pm. Actually we left more like at 12:50 or little after. We did not get there until 1:30 not to bad because no body was on the road at the time. Before we went I called them up and told them how bad it was out in Durand, they have a policy where you can't miss any of your training. I was there for about half hour they gave us free food for the one's who showed up. At 2pm they had this bright idea to cancel training classes for the night. They were on back up power at the time when I left, everything was closing down. I don't know if they closed the call center down. My Dad was nearly half way back up in Durand when I called him to come and get me! I don't think I got home until after 4pm. The roads were horrible.
I live out in the country in Durand, I could never get out of my driveway, I had to climb over a drift that was a monster. I am 6'0 tall and it came up to my chest!
This snow storm reminds me back in 1979 when I was only two at the time. I was on a great big huge snow bankement on the farm where I grew up at in Elburn, Il. I used the whole snow bankement has a stage that I was on. I had a flyswatter outside in the middle of winter, that was microphone. And I was Orion Sameulson!!!!!
Of course this brings back memories, I have always wanted to get into either being a dj on a radio or doing the news, something. The passion is there. Some of my idles were to name a few Peter Jennings, Harry Caray. Some of the locals, I can't remember the dude who worked at WDEK 92.5 before it was bought out, he was the morning guy.
And of course I can remember at 97 ZOK Jeff Whitkar (I hope I spelled his name right) Both Eric's should remember him. Of course I can remember Steve Summers when he was over on ZOK and I can remember the young punk Eric Wilson doing the nights!
Does anyone Eric Wilson have any contact with Jeff Whitkar, how he was doing? I can remember the the telethon that he did ever year. That was awesome what he did for Rockford!
Actually I think it was jeff wicker. I do remember him and people used to pick on him all the time. I think there was a JJ michaels when we had the storm of 87.
Jeff Wicker is alive and well in Winston-Salem, NC. You can get your fill of photos and listen live (in the morning) here.
All I can say with this winter storm is thank you to eric and gretchen, adam and justin for keeping us up to date on this storm. You all rock. my final total was 14 inches here in loves park. This is the biggest snow I have ever seen in my life.
I guess I should've listened to the "stay off the roads" warnings. I just slammed my mom's car into a rail on the bypass.
Oh, ouch, are you ok justin. I was just thinking too, just one month ago today, we were in the 60s and now one month later we have a foot of snow on the ground. amazing.
well.. my husband and coworker had to leave the trucks walk awhile and get a ride home from the county sherrif's suv. Now when the plows come back out at 3am we have to go help unburry and get our vehicles home. ugh, its gonna be a long night! At least everyone is safe.
I'll be fine til my parents beat me. Okay maybe they won't. The car isn't as bad as I thought it was. All the damage is purely cosmetic.
And why are schools already closing for tomorrow. Blowing and drifting isn't anticipated... or snow til later.
Hwy 75 just south of Durand still closed. Tried to get through because my brother lives where the road is closed. No go, drifts over the hood of a Dodge Ram 2500. Backed up and out of it. There's two county plows stuck in that section. Pretty nasty there.
Well from what eric said at the top of the news, the official total at the airport was 10 inches, i wonder where the 13.4 was measured. Either way, it was a bunch. At least at my house i know i have seen over a foot of snow for once.
Have you heard anything about 1-39, 20bypass, Harrison, Perriville roads will be ok to travel on in the 8am-10am time frame tomorrow? I have to travel out to Rockford for the day tomorrow and just want to make sure they will be passable.
Ya, I can see Hwy 75 from where I am at out of Durand, all I thought I saw cars on the road, actually it was snow mobiles on the ROAD!!! ON HWY 75!!!!
Thanks Rob and Tony for finding that out! Ya he was little crazy in the morning! But we all are! I crack myself up! Those are famous words that my friend Bry uses!
All main roadways are in fairly good shape. Many of the rural roads are still snowpacked, but are at least driveable. With wind speeds below 10 mph across the region, visibilities are virtually unlimited.
boy, the live camera on the right currently has much much more traffic activity than it did at this time yesterday!!! lol
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