2013-02-27 Snowfall Totals

“Records were set for snowfall at both O’Hare and Midway on Tuesday. 3.6″ of snow fell at Midway, a new record for February 26th. O’Hare’s 4.8″ was also a record for the date.”

Taken from the wgn weather blog Posted on: February 27th, 2013 6:52 AM by Tim McGill

“So far this month we have seen 14.9″ of snow at O’Hare or 81% of our entire snowfall for the season. The weather pattern has been more active this month and now there are indications it could remain active into March.  The North Atlantic Oscillation Index is one of the forecast indicators that we look at to give us a hint of what is to come.  The index forecasts the fluctuations in pressure fields between the Icelandic Low and the Azores High.  Bottom line is a positive index caused by greater pressure differences tends to result in relatively milder and dry conditions here.  A negative index means a weaker Icelandic Low and Azores High which allows for more frequent intrusions of colder air and a more active storm track.”

Taken from the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

“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. encompasses 28% of the entire 2012-2013 winter snowfall (19.0 in.) thus far!

The 4.8 in. that fell during the calendar day of Feb 26th at Chicago was a record for that date.

The 15.5 in. of snow in February thus far (as of 6 am Wednesday) makes this tied for the 18th snowiest February on record in Chicago (records since 1885).”

Taken from the wgn weather blog Posted on: February 27th, 2013 2:38 PM by Steve Kahn

 Thanks to frequent blog contributor John Edmondson for sharing these shots of Nature’s tranquil beauty following a major 10 inch snowfall that hit the area. The photos were taken this morning along the Des Plaines River.