National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Another Round of Heavy Rain and Mountain Snow in California; Snow in the Great Lakes and Northeast

Another round of heavy rainfall will renew concerns for additional flash flooding and landslides in southern California around burn scars and coastal mountain ranges. A low pressure system is bringing enhanced snowfall downwind from the lower Great Lakes into the Northeast mountain ranges. Above average temperatures will challenge or break daily record high temperatures across the southern Plains. Read More >

Overview

Sunday, January 7 saw persistent light freezing rain and drizzle over the area over a span of six to nine hours. At brief times this was mixed with sleet and snow, but was mainly an icing event during the afternoon. After dark, the precipitation gradually transitioned to snow by mid-evening.

This event came on the heels of a significant cold weather period from Dec 26-Jan 6, which meant ground and pavement temperatures were below freezing.  This furthered the icing on roads and created very hazardous travel conditions. 

A Winter Weather Advisory was issued for generally south of Interstate 80 in the early morning of January 7, and this was expanded northward early in the afternoon.

 

Radar Loop
January 7 13-hour radar loop from 10:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.  Overlaid in yellow are mPing observations.  Symbols are drops (rain), drops with a horizontal "S" (freezing rain), S with a circle (sleet), and asterisk shape (snow).

Meteorology

Precip Types Sounding
An explanation of different precipitation types. A look at the observed atmosphere over central Illinois on January 7 that was  representative of much of the local area.

 

 

 


nws logo

Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged!
Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site.

NWS Chicago Science & Past Events Page

nws logo