The weather through the middle of next week will be very active over the country. Two storms systems will impact the central US into next week and at least one system along the east coast. The storms the result of a long wave upper level trough forming over the Rockies. Systems drop into the trough after they come in from the Pacific, deepen over the Plains, and then move northeast with snow north, rain central, and possible severe storms far south.
For the Chicago metro area a much nicer day today than yesterday with the huge temperature drop from Monday. The sun is out, winds have died down, and temperatures have risen into the lower 20s many areas. This rise is after chilly overnight lows of 5-10. Conditions will continue to moderate tomorrow as a strong system develops in the Plains. The developing Plains storm will bring very heavy snow through the Plains with local amounts through central Kansas of 15+ inches.
For the metro area warm advection snow will develop from southwest to northeast over the area tomorrow night between 9:00 p.m - midnight CST. The snow will turn into some light freezing drizzle toward dawn. Strongest dynamics will be over western Illinois with lessening lift the farther east one goes. For the metro area this means snow amounts of 1-2 inches far east to 2-4 inches central and 3-5 inches west. The graphic is the mean 12 hour snowfall forecasts of the various models valid Friday morning.
Surface temperatures will rise above freezing during the day Friday to melt some of the snow. Continued highs above freezing over the weekend to continue the melt. Another strong system moves through the Midwest Monday night into Tuesday. At this time it looks like a rain or snow changing to rain depending on the time the precipitation starts.
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