Snow Event of February 4th-5th 2014

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Fast Facts

• Chicago saw 7.0" of snow at O'Hare, which pushed the snowfall season total to 59.6", and this placed the season as the 8th snowiest since 1884 to that point. This was the 3rd most snow observed for the snowfall season through February 5th on record. The meteorlogical winter (December-February) total of 58.7" already made this the 4th snowiest on record in Chicago and was the 2nd snowiest winter to date through February 5th.
• Rockford saw 2.5" of snow, which brought the snowfall season total to 39" and the meteorological winter total to 38". The 39" was the 10th most snow observed on record through February 5th in Rockford and the 38" winter total to that point made it the 16th snowiest on record in Rockford since 1905.
• The highest snow total was 10.8" 6.9 miles west-northwest of Watseka in Iroquois County Illinois.

Snowfall Maps (as of 7am Feb 6th)

Local Snowfall Map (click to enlarge)

Regional Snowfall Map (click to enlarge)

Science

Radar Image	Radar Image (Meteorology Overlaid)

   The images above are from NWS Doppler Radar 0.5° reflectivity at midnight on February 5th when a strong snow band was developing over the area from near Peru northeast to near O'Hare Airport and northern Cook County.  Much of this was forced in the upper parts of the atmosphere (>10,000 ft) with a potent storm system.  This forcing included what meteorologists call Q-Vector convergence (highlighted in yellow), which is basically indicating vertical motion and in this case strong motion.  This was also seen more focused in the lower to mid levels on isentropic surfaces, as indicated in the orange.  Together this helped to produce quick snow growth, with an area of heavier snowfall rates persisting.  In the lower levels, instability from Lake Michigan further helped snowfall rates to be heavy into Cook and Lake Counties, including even into the post daybreak hours.  In addition, strong winds gusting to 40 mph near the Lake Michigan shore created widespread blowing snow temporarily reducing visibility in places to under one quarter of a mile on Wednesday morning, based on reports.

Snowfall Amounts

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
0310 PM CST THU FEB 06 2014


...2-DAY SNOWFALL ROUND-UP...

THE FOLLOWING ARE SNOW AMOUNTS FOR THE PREVIOUS 2 DAYS.
OBSERVATIONS ARE USUALLY TAKEN AT 7 AM. THANK YOU TO ALL
OF OUR COOPERATIVE...COCORAHS AND CHICAGO AREA SNOW TEAM
OBSERVERS FOR THEIR REPORTS!

  2-DAY SNOW TOTALS FOR THURSDAY (02/06/14)
     AS OF 01:24 PM CST

ILLINOIS                                 2-DAY SNOW FALL
  LOCATION (COUNTY):                         AMT(IN) REPORTS

  BOTANIC GARDENS (COOK).......................10.8     (2)
  WATSEKA 6.9WNW (IROQUOIS).....................9.7     (2)
  LAKE FOREST 2NNE (LAKE).......................9.5     (1)
  LINCOLNWOOD 2E (COOK).........................9.4     (2)
  PARK FOREST (COOK)............................9.0     (2)
  SCHAUMBURG  2E (COOK).........................7.8     (2)
  PARK RIDGE (COOK).............................7.7     (2)
  MARSEILLES 3NW (LA SALLE).....................7.5     (2)
  BUFFALO GROVE 2N (LAKE).......................7.5     (2)
  CHICAGO 6ESE (COOK)...........................7.5     (2)
  DOWNERS GROVE (DUPAGE)........................7.4     (2)
  OAK BROOK (DU PAGE)...........................7.4     (2)
  MIDWAY COOP (COOK)............................7.4     (2)
  OAK PARK 1NNE (COOK)..........................7.4     (1)
  RIVERWOODS (LAKE).............................7.3     (2)
  LINCOLNSHIRE 1N (LAKE)........................7.2     (2)
  RICHTON PARK (COOK)...........................7.1     (2)
  PAXTON (FORD).................................7.0     (2)
  OHARE (COOK)..................................7.0     (2)
  OAK PARK 2S (COOK)............................7.0     (2)
  FAIRBURY (LIVINGSTON).........................7.0     (2)
  WAUKEGAN 2N (LAKE)............................6.9     (2)
  LOCKPORT 1SE (WILL)...........................6.8     (2)
  LOMBARD 1NNW (DU PAGE)........................6.8     (2)
  PALATINE 1E (COOK)............................6.8     (1)
  WATSEKA (IROQUOIS)............................6.7     (2)
  MUNDELEIN (LAKE)..............................6.7     (2)
  WINFIELD (DU PAGE)............................6.6     (2)
  MILFORD (IROQUOIS)............................6.6     (2)
  LAKE ZURICH (LAKE)............................6.6     (2)
  NEW LENOX 2SE (WILL)..........................6.5     (2)
  MARSEILLES 6WNW (LA SALLE)....................6.5     (2)
  INVERNESS 2S (COOK)...........................6.5     (2)
  BEECHER (WILL)................................6.2     (2)
  HOMEWOOD (COOK)...............................6.2     (2)
  ELK GROVE VILLAGE 1ESE (COOK).................6.2     (2)
  PEOTONE (WILL)................................6.2     (2)
  WESTMONT 1SSE (DU PAGE).......................6.1     (2)
  PEOTONE (WILL)................................6.0     (2)
  STREATOR 1WSW (LA SALLE)......................6.0     (1)
  SENECA 2SSW (LA SALLE)........................6.0     (2)
  GENEVA 1SSW (KANE)............................6.0     (2)
  ROSELLE 1ESE (DU PAGE)........................6.0     (2)
  HARWOOD HEIGHTS 2NNE (COOK)...................6.0     (2)
  ELBURN (KANE).................................6.0     (2)
  AURORA (KANE).................................6.0     (2)
  BATAVIA (KANE)................................5.9     (2)
  OAK LAWN (COOK)...............................5.8     (2)
  ELK GROVE VILLAGE 2WSW (COOK).................5.8     (2)
  LISLE MORTON ARB (DU PAGE)....................5.7     (2)
  LA SALLE (LA SALLE)...........................5.7     (2)
  WILLOWBROOK (DUPAGE)..........................5.7     (2)
  SCHAUMBURG 3WSW (COOK)........................5.6     (2)
  MOMENCE (KANKAKEE)............................5.5     (1)
  NEW LENOX 3E (WILL)...........................5.5     (2)
  OTTAWA 1NW (LA SALLE).........................5.5     (2)
  GURNEE 2W (LAKE)..............................5.5     (2)
  NORTH AURORA 2NE (KANE).......................5.5     (2)
  ELGIN 1S (KANE)...............................5.5     (2)
  BOURBONNAIS 2NNE (KANKAKEE)...................5.5     (2)
  BURR RIDGE 2SW (DU PAGE)......................5.5     (2)
  ELGIN (KANE)..................................5.5     (2)
  MUNDELEIN (LAKE)..............................5.4     (2)
  LISLE 1SE (DU PAGE)...........................5.4     (2)
  ROMEOVILLE (WILL).............................5.4     (2)
  CRETE 3E (WILL)...............................5.3     (2)
  OSWEGO 5SSE (KENDALL).........................5.3     (2)
  MINOOKA (GRUNDY)..............................5.3     (2)
  BARTLETT 1SSE (DU PAGE).......................5.3     (2)
  COUNTRYSIDE 1NNE (COOK).......................5.3     (2)
  ELGIN (KANE)..................................5.3     (2)
  PEOTONE (WILL)................................5.2     (2)
  MONEE (WILL)..................................5.2     (2)
  PEOTONE (WILL)................................5.2     (2)
  ASHKUM 5.6E (IROQUOIS)........................5.2     (2)
  BOLINGBROOK 3NE (DU PAGE).....................5.2     (2)
  BARRINGTON (LAKE).............................5.2     (2)
  YORKVILLE 2SE (KENDALL).......................5.0     (2)
  ST CHARLES (KANE).............................5.0     (1)
  PONTIAC (LIVINGSTON)..........................5.0     (2)
  OTTAWA (LA SALLE).............................5.0     (2)
  PEOTONE (WILL)................................5.0     (2)
  PLAINFIELD 1SW (WILL).........................5.0     (2)
  GURNEE 2NE (LAKE).............................5.0     (2)
  MAZON 0.5ENE (GRUNDY).........................5.0     (2)
  CAROL STREAM (DU PAGE)........................5.0     (2)
  PLAINFIELD 2SSE (WILL)........................4.9     (2)
  BONFIELD 4NNE (KANKAKEE)......................4.9     (2)
  MORRIS (GRUNDY)...............................4.8     (2)
  MARSEILLES (LA SALLE).........................4.8     (2)
  SHERIDAN (LA SALLE)...........................4.8     (2)
  BEACH PARK (LAKE).............................4.8     (2)
  BEACH PARK 1W (LAKE)..........................4.8     (2)
  PLAINFIELD 5SW (KENDALL)......................4.8     (2)
  GLEN ELLYN 1SE (DU PAGE)......................4.8     (2)
  CHICAGO RIDGE (COOK)..........................4.8     (2)
  MANHATTAN (WILL)..............................4.7     (2)
  MANHATTAN 5ENE (WILL).........................4.7     (2)
  BATAVIA 2WNW (KANE)...........................4.7     (2)
  WORTH (COOK)..................................4.7     (2)
  HOMER GLEN 4WNW (WILL)........................4.6     (2)
  WESTMONT (DU PAGE)............................4.5     (2)
  MAZON (GRUNDY)................................4.5     (1)
  SHERIDAN 3SSE (LA SALLE)......................4.5     (2)
  LAKE VILLA 1SSW (LAKE)........................4.5     (2)
  GENEVA 3WSW (KANE)............................4.5     (1)
  MORRIS 6ESE (GRUNDY)..........................4.5     (2)
  NAPERVILLE 1NW (DU PAGE)......................4.5     (2)
  ORLAND HILLS 1SE (COOK).......................4.5     (2)
  COAL CITY 4NNW (GRUNDY).......................4.5     (2)
  OTTAWA 2N (LA SALLE)..........................4.4     (2)
  BATAVIA 1WNW (KANE)...........................4.4     (2)
  ARLINGTON HEIGHTS 2NNW (COOK).................4.4     (2)
  JOLIET 2N (WILL)..............................4.4     (2)
  JOLIET LOCK/DAM (WILL)........................4.3     (2)
  ELGIN 2W (KANE)...............................4.3     (2)
  BOURBONNAIS (KANKAKEE)........................4.3     (2)
  BULL VALLEY 2WNW (MCHENRY)....................4.2     (2)
  SPRING GROVE 2N (MCHENRY).....................4.1     (2)
  AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE)..........................4.1     (2)
  LA GRANGE PARK 1SSW (COOK)....................4.1     (2)
  STREATOR (LIVINGSTON).........................4.0     (2)
  CHATSWORTH (LIVINGSTON).......................4.0     (2)
  ELBURN (KANE).................................4.0     (2)
  GENEVA 2WSW (KANE)............................4.0     (2)
  AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE)..........................4.0     (2)
  HOFFMAN ESTATES 5W (COOK).....................4.0     (2)
  DWIGHT (LIVINGSTON)...........................4.0     (2)
  CHATSWORTH (LIVINGSTON).......................4.0     (2)
  SUGAR GROVE 1NE (KANE)........................3.9     (2)
  ASHTON (LEE)..................................3.9     (2)
  ST. CHARLES 6NW (KANE)........................3.9     (2)
  MCHENRY (MCHENRY).............................3.8     (2)
  WONDER LAKE 1WNW (MCHENRY)....................3.8     (2)
  KANKAKEE 3SE (KANKAKEE).......................3.8     (1)
  PLAINFIELD (WILL).............................3.6     (2)
  CORTLAND (DE KALB)............................3.6     (2)
  ST ANNE (KANKAKEE)............................3.5     (1)
  PAW PAW (LEE).................................3.5     (2)
  BYRON 3N (OGLE)...............................3.5     (2)
  WOODSTOCK 2WSW (MCHENRY)......................3.5     (1)
  STREATOR 4ENE (LA SALLE)......................3.5     (2)
  YORKVILLE 1NE (KENDALL).......................3.5     (2)
  DIXON 2SW (LEE)...............................3.3     (2)
  ROCHELLE (OGLE)...............................3.2     (2)
  POLO (OGLE)...................................3.2     (1)
  MARENGO (MCHENRY).............................3.1     (1)
  ROCKFORD 1NW (WINNEBAGO)......................3.1     (2)
  KANKAKEE (KANKAKEE)...........................3.0     (2)
  DIXON 3NNW (LEE)..............................3.0     (2)
  HARVARD (MCHENRY).............................3.0     (1)
  EARLVILLE 3S (LA SALLE).......................3.0     (2)
  DE KALB (DE KALB).............................3.0     (2)
  CRYSTAL LAKE (MCHENRY)........................3.0     (1)
  MONTGOMERY 1SSE (KENDALL).....................2.9     (2)
  GENOA (DE KALB)...............................2.9     (2)
  ROCKFORD 2ENE (WINNEBAGO).....................2.7     (2)
  ROCKFORD (WINNEBAGO)..........................2.5     (2)
  WOODSTOCK 5NW (MCHENRY).......................2.3     (2)
  CAPRON (BOONE)................................2.2     (2)
  STEWARD (LEE).................................2.0     (2)
  ROCKFORD 3NE (WINNEBAGO)......................2.0     (2)
  ROSCOE 2SE (WINNEBAGO)........................1.7     (2)
  ROCKTON 1ESE (WINNEBAGO)......................1.5     (2)

INDIANA                                    2-DAY SNOW FALL
  LOCATION (COUNTY):                         AMT(IN) REPORTS

  DE MOTTE 1SSW (JASPER).......................10.0     (2)
  VALPARAISO 2NW (PORTER).......................8.9     (2)
  MOUNT AYR 2NNE (NEWTON).......................8.5     (2)
  RENSSELAER 6SE (JASPER).......................8.5     (1)
  VALPARAISO 5NNE (PORTER)......................8.3     (2)
  WHEATFIELD 1ENE (JASPER)......................8.0     (2)
  VALPARAISO 2N (PORTER)........................7.6     (2)
  REMINGTON (JASPER)............................7.4     (2)
  VALPARAISO 6WSW (PORTER)......................7.2     (2)
  VALPARAISO 4S (PORTER)........................7.0     (2)
  CROWN POINT 1N (LAKE).........................7.0     (2)
  DE MOTTE 1NNW (JASPER)........................6.9     (2)
  PORTER 1S (PORTER)............................6.7     (2)
  DE MOTTE 6S (JASPER)..........................6.5     (2)
  REMINGTON (JASPER)............................6.4     (2)
  DYER 1WNW (LAKE)..............................6.3     (2)
  RENSSELAER (JASPER)...........................6.1     (2)
  LAKES OF THE FOUR SEASONS 2NNE (PORTER).......6.1     (1)
  MERRILLVILLE 2NNW (LAKE)......................6.0     (2)
  CHESTERTON 4E (PORTER)........................5.8     (2)
  VALPARAISO 1SE (PORTER).......................5.7     (2)
  VALPARAISO 3WSW (PORTER)......................5.5     (2)
  MOROCCO (NEWTON)..............................5.0     (1)
  CROWN POINT 2WSW (LAKE).......................5.0     (2)
  HEBRON 4NE (PORTER)...........................4.8     (2)
  SCHERERVILLE (LAKE)...........................4.1     (2)

$$
RC

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