A Look Back at the Feb 26th, 2013 Heavy Snow Event

A Look Back at the Feb 26th Heavy Snow Event

Facts | Snowfall | Meteorology | Service

Facts

Chicago:

A total of 5.4 in. were measured at Chicago O'Hare International Airport from the start of the event late Tuesday morning through daybreak Wednesday. This makes the event the largest in terms of snowfall during the entire winter thus far.
The event total of 5.4 in. encompassed 28% of the entire 2012-2013 winter snowfall up to that point!
The 4.8 in. that fell during the calendar day of Feb 26th at Chicago was a record for that date.

Rockford:

A total of 4.6 in. were measured at Rockford Airport from the start of the event early Tuesday afternoon through daybreak Wednesday. This makes the event the largest in terms of snowfall during the entire winter thus far.
The event total of 4.6 in. encompasses 18% of the entire 2012-2013 winter snowfall up to that point.

Elsewhere:

11.7 in of snow were measured by a CoCoRaHS observer at Beach Park, with a very impressive 1.68 in. liquid equivalent. That's a snow-to-liquid ratio of 7:1!

Snowfall

Snowfall Map

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
130 PM CST WED FEB 27 2013

...MORNING SNOWFALL ROUNDUP...UPDATED WITH LATE REPORTS

   THE FOLLOWING ARE SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FOR THE PREVIOUS 24-HOURS.
   OBSERVATIONS ARE USUALLY TAKEN AT 7 AM.
   DATA OBTAINED FROM COOPERATIVE...COCORAHS...AND C.A.S.T.  
   OBSERVERS.

   24-HOUR SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FOR WEDNESDAY(02/27/13)...


NORTHERN ILLINOIS                              SNOW
  LOCATION (COUNTY):                           FALL(INCHES)

  ANTIOCH 4W (LAKE)............................12.1
  ANTIOCH 2ESE (LAKE)..........................12.0
  BEACH PARK 1W (LAKE).........................11.7
  GURNEE 2W (LAKE).............................10.7
  LAKE VILLA 1SSW (LAKE).......................10.5
  GRAYSLAKE (LAKE).............................10.2
  WONDER LAKE 1WNW (MCHENRY)....................9.8
  BUFFALO GROVE 2N (LAKE).......................9.6
  FOX LAKE 2SE (LAKE)...........................9.1
  WAUKEGAN 2N (LAKE)............................8.5
  HIGHWOOD 1S (LAKE)............................8.4
  MCHENRY (MCHENRY).............................8.2
  SUBLETTE (LEE)................................8.0
  LAKEMOOR 2SE (LAKE)...........................8.0
  SPRING GROVE 2N (MCHENRY).....................8.0
  LINCOLNSHIRE 1.3WSW (LAKE)....................7.9
  ROSELLE 1ESE (DU PAGE)........................7.5
  BULL VALLEY 2WNW (MCHENRY)....................7.4
  MUNDELEIN (LAKE)..............................7.4
  HOFFMAN ESTATES 5W (COOK).....................7.3
  MENDOTA 1N (LA SALLE).........................7.3
  ST. CHARLES (KANE)............................7.0
  LINCOLNSHIRE 1N (LAKE)........................7.0
  LAKE FOREST 2NNE (LAKE).......................7.0
  ST CHARLES (KANE).............................7.0
  SCHAUMBURG 3WSW (COOK)........................6.9
  ELK GROVE VILLAGE 1ESE (COOK).................6.8
  PALATINE 1E (COOK)............................6.7
  SCHAUMBURG  2E (COOK).........................6.7
  ELK GROVE VILLAGE 2WSW (COOK).................6.6
  SCHAUMBURG (COOK).............................6.6
  HEBRON (MCHENRY)..............................6.5
  CARY 2NE (MCHENRY)............................6.5
  WOODSTOCK 2WSW (MCHENRY)......................6.5
  WOODSTOCK (MCHENRY)...........................6.5
  LAKE BLUFF 1W (LAKE)..........................6.3
  CARY (MCHENRY)................................6.2
  WINNETKA 1S (COOK)............................6.1
  BARRINGTON (LAKE).............................6.0
  LILY LAKE 2E (KANE)...........................6.0
  MARENGO (MCHENRY).............................6.0
  ELGIN (KANE)..................................5.8
  GLEN ELLYN 2SSE (DU PAGE).....................5.8
  ELGIN 1S (KANE)...............................5.8
  ASHTON (LEE)..................................5.8
  WINFIELD (DU PAGE)............................5.8
  DE KALB (DE KALB).............................5.7
  BATAVIA 2WNW (KANE)...........................5.6
  OTTAWA 2N (LA SALLE)..........................5.6
  BOTANIC GARDENS (COOK)........................5.5
  ELBURN (KANE).................................5.5
  HARVARD (MCHENRY).............................5.5
  CAPRON (BOONE)................................5.5
  STREAMWOOD (COOK).............................5.5
  MALTA (DE KALB)...............................5.5
  AMBOY 3SE (LEE)...............................5.5
  LAKE ZURICH (LAKE)............................5.5
  GENEVA 2ENE (KANE)............................5.4
  ST. CHARLES 6NW (KANE)........................5.4
  OHARE (COOK)..................................5.4
  DOWNNERS GROVE (COOK).........................5.2
  DIXON 3NNW (LEE)..............................5.2
  PARK RIDGE (COOK).............................5.1
  ARLINGTON HEIGHTS 2NNW (COOK).................5.0
  ELMHURST 1ESE (DU PAGE).......................5.0
  BARTLETT 1SSE (DU PAGE).......................5.0
  SUGAR GROVE 1NE (KANE)........................5.0
  GENEVA 1SSW (KANE)............................5.0
  AMBOY (LEE)...................................4.9
  LA SALLE (LA SALLE)...........................4.9
  GENOA (DE KALB)...............................4.8
  BATAVIA 1WNW (KANE)...........................4.8
  OAK BROOK (DU PAGE)...........................4.8
  ST CHARLES 7NW (KANE).........................4.8
  EVANSTON 1N (COOK)............................4.7
  OTTAWA (LA SALLE).............................4.7
  ROCKFORD (WINNEBAGO)..........................4.6
  DE KALB (DE KALB).............................4.5
  CAROL STREAM (DU PAGE)........................4.5
  NORTH AURORA 2NE (KANE).......................4.5
  SHERIDAN (LA SALLE)...........................4.5
  OGLESBY 1ESE (LA SALLE).......................4.5
  ALGONQUIN 1N (MCHENRY)........................4.5
  PAW PAW (LEE).................................4.5
  EARLVILLE 3S (LA SALLE).......................4.4
  PERU 1SW (LA SALLE)...........................4.3
  LISLE MORTON ARB (DU PAGE)....................4.1
  NAPERVILLE (WILL).............................4.1
  AURORA (KANE).................................4.0
  GLEN ELLYN (DU PAGE)..........................4.0
  OAK PARK 1SW (COOK)...........................4.0
  CORTLAND (DE KALB)............................4.0
  DOWNERS GROVE 2SE (DU PAGE)...................4.0
  LISLE (DU PAGE)...............................4.0
  LISLE 1SE (DU PAGE)...........................4.0
  GLEN ELLYN 1SE (DU PAGE)......................4.0
  GENEVA 2WSW (KANE)............................4.0
  ELBURN (KANE).................................4.0
  OTTAWA 1NW (LA SALLE).........................4.0
  MARSEILLES 6WNW (LA SALLE)....................4.0
  OTTAWA (LA SALLE).............................4.0
  BYRON 3N (OGLE)...............................4.0
  HOMER GLEN 1ENE (WILL)........................4.0
  MACHESNEY PARK 3ENE (WINNEBAGO)...............4.0
  MIDWAY COOP (COOK)............................4.0
  YORKVILLE 2SE (KENDALL).......................4.0
  GENEVA 1N (KANE)..............................3.8
  DIXON 2SW (LEE)...............................3.8
  MARSEILLES 3NW (LA SALLE).....................3.8
  ROCKFORD 1NW (WINNEBAGO)......................3.8
  ROCKFORD 4NW (WINNEBAGO)......................3.8
  AURORA 4NE (DU PAGE)..........................3.7
  NAPERVILLE 1NW (DU PAGE)......................3.7
  STEWARD (LEE).................................3.7
  WILLOWBROOK (COOK)............................3.6
  BURR RIDGE 2SW (DU PAGE)......................3.6
  ORLAND PARK 5WNW (WILL).......................3.6
  ELGIN (KANE)..................................3.5
  OAK PARK 2S (COOK)............................3.5
  ELBURN 3NNE (KANE)............................3.5
  SENECA 2SSW (LA SALLE)........................3.5
  SHERIDAN 3SSE (LA SALLE)......................3.5
  SENECA 1NE (LA SALLE).........................3.5
  NEW LENOX 2SE (WILL)..........................3.5
  ROCKFORD 2ENE (WINNEBAGO).....................3.5
  ROCHELLE (OGLE)...............................3.5
  WOODSTOCK 5NW (MCHENRY).......................3.5
  HARWOOD HEIGHTS 2NNE (COOK)...................3.4
  WESTMONT 1SSE (DU PAGE).......................3.3
  BATAVIA (KANE)................................3.2
  BOLINGBROOK 3NE (DU PAGE).....................3.2
  NAPERVILLE 2ESE (DU PAGE).....................3.1
  HOMER GLEN 4WNW (WILL)........................3.1
  ORLAND HILLS 1SE (COOK).......................3.0
  PALOS PARK 1SW (COOK).........................3.0
  LINCOLNWOOD 2E (COOK).........................3.0
  AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE)..........................3.0
  MENDOTA (LA SALLE)............................3.0
  MARSEILLES (LA SALLE).........................3.0
  PLAINFIELD 5SW (KENDALL)......................2.9
  MANHATTAN 5ENE (WILL).........................2.9
  MANHATTAN (WILL)..............................2.9
  OAK LAWN (COOK)...............................2.8
  OSWEGO 5SSE (KENDALL).........................2.8
  PONTIAC 1ESE (LIVINGSTON).....................2.8
  PLAINFIELD (WILL).............................2.8
  LA GRANGE PARK 1SSW (COOK)....................2.7
  COUNTRYSIDE 1NNE (COOK).......................2.6
  JOLIET (WILL).................................2.6
  BRIDGEVIEW 1NNW (COOK)........................2.5
  BONFIELD 4WSW (KANKAKEE)......................2.5
  STREATOR 1WSW (LA SALLE)......................2.5
  PLAINFIELD 2SSE (WILL)........................2.5
  ROCKFORD 3NE (WINNEBAGO)......................2.5
  ROCKTON 1ESE (WINNEBAGO)......................2.5
  PEOTONE (WILL)................................2.5
  STREATOR (LIVINGSTON).........................2.5
  PEOTONE (WILL)................................2.4
  JOLIET 2N (WILL)..............................2.4
  MOKENA 1W (WILL)..............................2.3
  PLAINFIELD 1SW (WILL).........................2.3
  JOLIET 1ENE (WILL)............................2.2
  ROMEOVILLE (WILL).............................2.2
  BOURBONNAIS (KANKAKEE)........................2.1
  MONEE (WILL)..................................2.1
  ALSIP (COOK)..................................2.0
  WORTH (COOK)..................................2.0
  ORLAND HILLS 1S (COOK)........................2.0
  AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE)..........................2.0
  MAZON 0.5ENE (GRUNDY).........................2.0
  STREATOR 4ENE (LA SALLE)......................2.0
  EMINGTON 2SSE (LIVINGSTON)....................2.0
  BEECHER (WILL)................................2.0
  PEOTONE (WILL)................................2.0
  LOCKPORT 1SE (WILL)...........................2.0
  NEW LENOX 3E (WILL)...........................2.0
  MANHATTAN 2SE (WILL)..........................2.0
  PONTIAC (LIVINGSTON)..........................2.0
  COAL CITY 4NNW (GRUNDY).......................1.9
  CARBON HILL 3.1N (GRUNDY).....................1.9
  CHICAGO 6ESE (COOK)...........................1.7
  ROSCOE 2ESE (WINNEBAGO).......................1.7
  MAZON (GRUNDY)................................1.7
  ROSCOE 2SE (WINNEBAGO)........................1.7
  ST ANNE (KANKAKEE)............................1.7
  CHANNAHON (WILL)..............................1.6
  CHICAGO RIDGE (COOK)..........................1.6
  HOMEWOOD (COOK)...............................1.6
  BOURBONNAIS 2NNE (KANKAKEE)...................1.6
  BONFIELD 4NNE (KANKAKEE)......................1.6
  MORRIS (GRUNDY)...............................1.6
  JOLIET LOCK/DAM (WILL)........................1.5
  KANKAKEE (KANKAKEE)...........................1.5
  BURNHAM-HEGEWISCH 2NNW (COOK).................1.3
  BRACEVILLE (GRUNDY)...........................1.2
  MORRIS 6ESE (GRUNDY)..........................1.1
  CHATSWORTH (LIVINGSTON).......................1.0
  DWIGHT (LIVINGSTON)...........................1.0
  WATSEKA 5W (IROQUOIS).........................1.0
  CHATSWORTH (LIVINGSTON).......................1.0
  CRETE 3E (WILL)...............................1.0
  LANSING (COOK)................................1.0
  MILFORD (IROQUOIS)............................1.0
  PARK FOREST (COOK)............................1.0
  WATSEKA (IROQUOIS)............................1.0
  FAIRBURY (LIVINGSTON).........................0.6
  PARK FOREST 1NNE (COOK).......................0.6
  COAL CITY (GRUNDY)............................0.1

NORTHWEST INDIANA                              SNOW
  LOCATION (COUNTY):                           FALL(INCHES)

  PORTER 1S (PORTER)............................2.5
  DYER 1WNW (LAKE)..............................2.0
  CROWN POINT 2WSW (LAKE).......................2.0
  CHESTERTON 4E (PORTER)........................1.7
  CROWN POINT (LAKE)............................1.5
  WHEATFIELD 3S (JASPER)........................1.5
  ST. JOHN (LAKE)...............................1.5
  CHESTERTON 1ENE (PORTER)......................1.4
  VALPARAISO 5NNE (PORTER)......................1.4
  VALPARAISO 5NNE (PORTER)......................1.4
  VALPARAISO 1ENE (PORTER)......................1.2
  VALPARAISO 2N (PORTER)........................1.1
  DE MOTTE 6S (JASPER)..........................1.0
  DE MOTTE 4SW (JASPER).........................1.0
  (W9OPR)WHEATFIELD 1ENE (JASPER)...............1.0
  HEBRON 4NE (PORTER)...........................1.0
  PORTAGE 1ESE (PORTER).........................1.0
  LAKES OF THE FOUR SEASONS 2NNE (PORTER).......1.0
  MOROCCO (NEWTON)..............................1.0
  RENSSELAER (JASPER)...........................1.0
  VALPARAISO 1NNW (PORTER)......................0.8
  REMINGTON (JASPER)............................0.7
  VALPARAISO 1SE (PORTER).......................0.6
  DE MOTTE 1NNW (JASPER)........................0.5
  DE MOTTE 1SSW (JASPER)........................0.5
  REMINGTON (JASPER)............................0.5
  MOUNT AYR 2NNE (NEWTON).......................0.5
  VALPARAISO 4SW (PORTER).......................0.5
  VALPARAISO (PORTER)...........................0.5
  CROWN POINT 1N (LAKE).........................0.4
  LAKE VILLAGE (NEWTON).........................0.4
  RENSSELAER 6SE (JASPER).......................0.3
  SCHERERVILLE 2WSW (LAKE)......................0.3
  HOBART 2E (LAKE)..............................0.3

$$

Meteorology

GOES Satellite Loop of Water Vapor Channel (left) and IR Channel (right) from early Tue through Tue eve

Satellite Loop

Service

Warnings, Watches, and Advisories
*Sunday Night, Feb 24th (Winter Storm Watch)*

A Winter Storm Watch was issued Sunday Evening for the Tuesday event, which was preceded by a Special Weather Statement highlighting the potential for a heavy snow event issued on Saturday. A Winter Weather Advisory was issued early Tuesday morning, and a portion of this was upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning for Lake and McHenry Counties during late Tuesday afternoon.

Weather Story Graphics
*Issued Feb 22*	*Issued Feb 23*	*Issued Feb 24*