Chicago area - gusty rain and almost snow
First of week's two arctic blasts to produce snowy Tuesday afternoon, tumbling temperatures; 1-2 inch accumulations possible
January 16, 2012 10:43 PM
by Meteorologist Tom Skilling
Tuesday's comparatively mild open gives way to powerful northwest winds which will send Chicago area temperatures plunging into the 20s by nightfall, the first of two cold blasts predicted this week. The second and strongest of the week's cold surges takes hold Thursday, when daytime temperatures are to hold in the teens for the first time this winter.
Tuesday's wind-driven temperature pullback supplants Monday's brief, snow-melting temperature surge to 45-degrees--the area's mildest reading in 5 days.
Monday's "warm-up" took a big bite out of the area's heaviest winter snowpack to date, reducing the depth of the snow on the ground from 6 inches last Thursday to just an inch Monday morning. The melt-off continued Monday as rain fell across the city and by evening less than an inch of snow remained.
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