Tag Archives: Winter storm warning

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Chicago weather forecast calls for several inches of snow; Winter Storm Warning in Illinois today, Blizzard Warning in NW Indiana

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CHICAGO (WLS) — A winter weather snow storm is moving into the Chicago area Thursday, with several inches of snow forecast along with high winds and dangerous wind chills.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the entire Chicago area and northwest Indiana.

School Closings: See Full List

The warning is in effect from 9 a.m. Thursday until Saturday at 6 a.m. for DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Grundy, Livingston and McHenry counties. For the rest of the Chicago area, the alert is in effect from noon Thursday until 6 a.m. Saturday, with the alert starting at 3 p.m. for areas in northwest Indiana.

WATCH | Latest 7-day Chicago weather forecast

ABC7 Chicago Meteorologist Tracy Butler said the storm could start moving into the western suburbs by 9 a.m., with the city seeing snow by noon and northwest Indiana by 3 p.m.

Butler said three to six inches of snow are expected from the storm, with higher amounts possible in northwest Indiana. Snow could fall at a rate of as much as an inch an hour Thursday.

Hundreds of flight cancellations at O’Hare, Midway airports from Chicago winter snow storm

One of the main hazards will be blowing snow from high winds. Butler said wind gusts of up to 50 miles-per-hour are possible.

Porter County, Indiana has a Blizzard Warning in effect from 3 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Saturday. Gov. Eric Holcomb has activated nearly 150 members of the National Guard to help stranded drivers as officials in Indiana and Illinois plead with people to stay off the roads.

Butler said temperatures could drop sharply Thursday, with wind chills well below zero by early Friday morning.

Meanwhile, Cook County says it’s prepared for the snow.

Sixty snow plows are on hand to both salt and clear the roads. Cook County is also deploying about 65 drivers and 16,000 tons of salt is available.

Metra will run a more limited schedule due to the weather but will have extra staffing on hand to battle the elements.

CTA said it will run trains and buses as normal on Thursday and Friday, but warned there could be delays due to the weather. Anyone who may be waiting outside for a bus is advised to bundle up.

ComEd prepares for power outages

ComEd said it is positioning people and equipment to be able to respond quickly to potential power outages.

“We are positioning our people and equipment to respond quickly and safely to any interruptions that result from this snowstorm,” said Terence Donnelly, president and COO of ComEd. “We realize that any interruption is an inconvenience to our customers, especially during the holidays. Avoiding power outages and restoring service quickly is critical. We have strengthened our system over the years to reduce the impacts a storm like this can have on our customers.”

They said they will have more than 1,800 utility workers on the system including 350 line workers from around the country to respond to any potential outages.

ComEd customers can text OUT to 26633 (COMED) to report an outage and receive restoration information as well as following ComEd on Twitter or on Facebook. Customers can also call 1-800 EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661), or report outages via the website at ComEd.com/report or use the ComEd app.

ComEd warns people never to approach a downed power line and not to approach ComEd crews to ask them about restoration times as they may be working on live electrical equipment.

What can I do if my flight is canceled, delayed? How to prepare for likely 2022 holiday travel mess

Hundreds of flights canceled:

Hundreds of flights have been canceled at O’Hare and Midway airports Thursday..

As of 4:30 a.m., 388 flights have been canceled at O’Hare Airport, with 156 flight cancellations at Midway Airport

Blizzard conditions are expected from the plains and the Midwest to the east coast, with high winds and plunging temperatures.

The delays and cancellations is only adding to the chaos at airports packed with holiday travelers.

What can I do if my flight is canceled, delayed? How to prepare for likely 2022 holiday travel mess

The roads will also be busy, as many families travel by car for the holidays.

Storm forces closures for schools and attractions

Christkindlmarket will close early due to the storm. Its downtown Chicago and Aurora locations will reduce their hours and close at 4 p.m. on Thursday, while the Wrigleyville market will be closed all day Thursday. All three markets will be closed Friday.

Lincoln Park Zoo will be closed Friday and Zoo Lights canceled due to the forecasted high winds and frigid temperatures. Anyone with tickets to ZooLights on December 23 should check their emails for more information.

The Adler Planetarium announced it would close Friday and Saturday in anticipation of the storm. It was scheduled to be closed Sunday.

Chicago Public Schools are planning to be open Thursday, but after-school activities are canceled. Friday was already a scheduled day off.

Click here to see a full list of school closures

What are criteria for a blizzard?

In order for a blizzard warning to be issued, the following conditions need to prevail for three hours or longer:

-The storm needs to have sustained wind or frequent gusts to 35 miles-per-hour or greater

-Falling and/or blowing snow reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile

Stay tuned to ABC7 Eyewitness News and ABC7Chicago.com for the latest forecast and snowfall amounts as the winter storm approaches.

Cook County Radar DuPage County Radar Will County Radar Lake County Radar (IL) Kane County Radar Northwest Indiana Radar

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NC weather forecast: Winter storm arrives in North Carolina bringing ice, snow, strong wind | Watch live radar

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The snow is finished in central North Carolina, but some areas are still seeing sleet and freezing rain before temperatures rise above 32 degrees.

The winter weather advisory has expired for Harnett, Wayne, Johnston, Cumberland, and Sampson counties. However, the winter storm warning remains in effect for most other counties in central North Carolina.

ABC11 Meteorologists Kweilyn Murphy and Steve Stewart started our real-time team coverage on ABC11 and in the above video player at 5 a.m. Chief Meteorologist Don Schwenneker and Meteorologist Robert Johnson arrived at 2 p.m. to relieve them. Likewise, ABC11 crews remain out in the storm bringing you updated conditions all across central North Carolina.

The storm got off to a slower-than-expected start due to drier air in the atmosphere, but by daybreak snow, sleet and freezing rain was falling throughout the ABC11 viewing area.

Live ABC11 First Alert Doppler Radar

By noon, ice and snow had accumulated in neighborhoods all across the Triangle and surrounding areas. Plus, warmer weather was pushing north from the Sandhills, transitioning the wintry mix into rain.

That progression of wintry mix into rain will continue to creep north throughout the rest of the day, until the entire system moves out of the area around 9 p.m.

As the storm moves out of the area stronger winds will settle in. Wind gusts have been registered between 10-20 miles per hour so far Sunday, but those will pick up and could reach as high as 40 miles per hour by the end of the day.

The ice accumulation combined with the gusting winds could prove dangerous for trees and power lines.

Gov. Roy Cooper said the winter weather conditions had already caused more than 200 crashes and tens of thousands of power outages in North Carolina. The majority of the power outages are located in the Sandhills and the western part of the state.

WATCH: First Alert to Winter Weather

CLOSINGS

Due to the possible inclement weather, some schools and businesses may decide to close. You can check up-to-date closings here.

If you are in charge of closings for a school of business, the only way to report your organization’s closing or delay to ABC11 is by using our online system. The phone system that was used in the past is not operational. Your ID code from the phone system remains the same and it also serves as your Pass Code into the online system.
If you would like to register your organization with ABC11, please email the following information to closingcenter@abc11mail.com. Please do not mail closing information to this email address.

Organization Name:
Type of Organization: (school, church, business, daycare, government office)
Mailing Address:
Organization’s Phone Number:
Contact Person:
Contact’s Email:
Contact’s Mobile Phone:

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NC weather forecast: Winter storm warning issued for much of North Carolina for Sunday | Ice, snow could make roads hazardous

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The winter storm watch that was issued for much of North Carolina has now been increased to a winter storm warning.

The warning means there is heavy mixed precipitation expected, including snow of up to 2 inches, ice of up to .25 inches and winds gusting as high as 40 miles per hour.

“This is going to start as snow for some, but this is really an ice event,” ABC11 meteorologist Steve Stewart said. “If we get a prolonged ice event, that’s when we can see the power outages, because even if we get a quarter inch of ice, the wind is going to be an issue.”

The warning officially goes into effect at midnight Sunday morning and lasts throughout the entire day.

These conditions mean everybody should stay home and stay safe during the storm. Gov. Roy Cooper is scheduled to speak at 11:30 a.m. about what state officials are doing to prepare for the storm.

TIMING

Saturday will be cold with highs around 40 degrees and lows overnight dipping well below freezing. Sunday highs will likely not rise out of the 30s.

The winter storm will begin after midnight Saturday into early Sunday morning and last throughout the entire day.

Most places will see snow in the early hours of Sunday morning, but that will then transition into sleet and freezing rain by the mid-morning.

How long that freezing rain lasts before it turns into rain will largely determine how dangerous of a weather event this turns out to be.

“It’s going to be more of a now-casting event during the day tomorrow, because we’re probably going to get some phase shifting going on with our temperatures close to critical,” Stewart said. ABC11’s entire team will be on high alert with live coverage starting at 5 a.m. and lasting as long as it takes to keep you safe. In case you lose power, be sure to charge your devices and have the ABC11 mobile app downloaded.

The freezing rain could last from around 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. If that type of prolonged event does take place, conditions could be quite treacherous.

Ice accumulation could be between a glaze and .35 inches. Typically .25 inches is the threshold for tree branches to snap, but with the added problem of strong winds at the end of the storm, it may not even take that much ice accumulation.

Once the transition to rain occurs during the afternoon hours, it will be on top of this layer of ice, which will add to the risk of flooding. Highest ice accumulations likely be north and west of Raleigh. Rain will transition back to a wintry mix Sunday night as the low pressure departs and temps drop below freezing.

Wind gusts of up to 30-35 mph will be possible. Wind chills Saturday will be in the 30s. Wind chills Sunday will be in the teens and even single digits through early afternoon.

Specific timing of when this will happen in your neighborhood of course depends on where in central North Carolina you are located. Areas west and north will keep the snow and freezing rain longer, and thus accumulate more of those potentially dangerous conditions.

WATCH: First Alert to Winter Weather

CONDITIONS

Ice is the biggest threat during this storm. While snow will also likely happen, central North Carolina is in line to get more ice than snow.

Plus, that ice accumulation combined with strong winds on the back end of the storm could create problems for trees–resulting in structural damage and power outages.

GETTING READY: Do you know what you need in case of emergency?

The ice will also likely make road conditions hazardous. Everyone should be prepared to stay in their homes Sunday and potentially even Monday morning.

The snowfall accumulation will be higher north and west of Wake County, with areas like Person County, Orange County and even parts of Durham County seeing 2-3 inches of snow.

Lee, Wake, Warren, Vance and Granville counties can expect around 1-2 inches of snow accumulation. Areas east and south of that line should expect less than an inch of snow.

Ice accumulation is possible for the entire ABC11 viewing area. Spots around Interstate 85, including Orange and Durham counties could see up to .25 inches of ice buildup.

Other areas may only see .1 of an inch of ice accumulation, but that would still be enough to cause problems on the roads and potentially bring down some trees.

CLOSINGS

Due to the possible inclement weather, some schools and businesses may decide to close. You can check up-to-date closings here.

If you are in charge of closings for a school of business, the only way to report your organization’s closing or delay to ABC11 is by using our online system. The phone system that was used in the past is not operational. Your ID code from the phone system remains the same and it also serves as your Pass Code into the online system.
If you would like to register your organization with ABC11, please email the following information to closingcenter@abc11mail.com. Please do not mail closing information to this email address.

Organization Name:
Type of Organization: (school, church, business, daycare, government office)
Mailing Address:
Organization’s Phone Number:
Contact Person:
Contact’s Email:
Contact’s Mobile Phone:

Copyright © 2022 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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NC weather forecast: Freezing temperatures arrive Monday to turn heavy rain into snow

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RALEIGH. N.C. (WTVD) — Heavy rain moved through North Carolina ahead of a sharp drop in temperatures, which brought snow to some areas.

As recent as two days ago, North Carolina was dealing with record heat: Raleigh saw a high of 79 and Fayetteville reached 81 on Jan. 1.

Clouds, rain and gusty wind moved in starting Sunday. On Sunday night into Monday, the temperature plummeted.

At 3:30 p.m., Meteorologist Robert Johnson said only snow remains for parts of the Coastal Plain, and the snow will be out of there by 4 p.m. The sun has returned elsewhere and will create a beautiful sunset this evening around 5 p.m. It’s still breezy out there right now but winds will diminish through the night.

The two main concerns for the evening as icy conditions since temperatures will fall into the teens and 20s, and flooding in low-lying areas such as creeks, rivers, streams.

It will be clear and cold tonight with temperatures in the teens and 20s and Tuesday will be sunny but cold with no one breaking out of the 40s.

LIVE RADAR

3:42 p.m.
The City of Raleigh’s curbside collection of garbage and recycling will be delayed on Tuesday because of the inclement weather. The potential for overnight freezing and black ice means a later start for crews.

If your regular collection day is Tuesday, please leave your garbage and recycling carts at the curb. Crews will be working through the evening to complete all routes. Regular pickup of garbage and recycling is scheduled to resume Wednesday.

Yard waste collection will be running a day behind the regular schedule for most customers this week. Here is the adjusted schedule:

  • Tuesday yard waste collection will occur on Wednesday
  • Wednesday yard waste collection will occur on Thursday
  • Thursday and Friday yard waste collection will occur on Friday.

For more information, call Customer Care at (919) 996-3245 or visit the City’s website.

3:30 p.m.
Wake County has 2,017 customers without power. Durham County has 2,358 and Orange County has 5,673 without electricity. There are still no estimates for restoration.

2:44 p.m.
Although the worst of the day trip to winter appears to be over, Gov. Roy Cooper is urging North Carolinians to exercise caution during the rest of the day.

“It’s better to stay off the road right now in many areas, but if you must drive, stay alert, reduce your speed and turn around if you encounter flooded roads,” said Cooper.

Hazardous weather is expected to continue for a few more hours before conditions improve in most areas later this afternoon. Though the threat of severe storms has ended, strong winds and coastal flooding will continue along the coast through tonight. Hazardous driving conditions could redevelop later tonight and Tuesday morning as black ice can form as temperatures will fall well below freezing.

To stay safe during severe weather, stay tuned to your local weather forecast and have a way to receive weather alerts, such as the ABC11 mobile app.

Statewide about 175,000 utility customers were without power at noon, Cooper said.

Guilford, Forsyth and Mecklenburg counties were reporting some of the largest outages.

Snow is on the ground or falling and temperatures are near or below freezing in some western counties and in counties along the Virginia border.

TIMELINE

Heavy rain, flash flooding and lots of lightning and thunder greeted people in central North Carolina when they woke up Monday morning.

The storms dumped several inches of rain in and around the Triangle. The first round of heavy rain pushed north and east of the Triangle by 8 a.m.

Freezing cold air then rushed into the area, dropping temperatures below freezing starting in places near the NC-Virginia border like Roxboro. That’s where the snow started falling first.

Wake County saw the rain stop around 8 a.m. But by 11 a.m. snow had started falling instead.

The snow continued for a couple of hours, mostly ending before 2 p.m. Flurries are still possible here and there for the rest of the day, but the heaviest of the snow is over.

Temperatures will now remain extremely cold. Lows will drop into the low 20s and even some teens overnight. Tuesday the cold will remain, with highs just getting into the mid-40s.

As for travel conditions, the ground temperatures remain quite warm because of the record heat just days ago. So much of the ABC11 viewing area will not be dealing with significant accumulation.

Still, be careful if you must drive. The roads will definitely be slick (possibly even flooded) and could even freeze in elevated areas.

Areas in and around the Triangle will likely not see much accumulation at all. Areas north of Durham could see dusting develop, especially on raised surfaces. Areas around the North Carolina-Virginia border could see an inch or so of accumulation.

POWER OUTAGES

The rain and wind knocked out power to thousands of people in the Triangle.

Duke Energy said the strong wind gusts were the main culprit of the power outages.

“We’ll be working throughout the day, unfortunately, I think to get these outages repaired,” Jeff Brooks said.

ROAD CONDITIONS & STORM DAMAGE

The flash flooding Monday wreaked havoc on roadways.

The roads that did not flood were slick, causing drivers to need to slow down or risk losing control of their vehicles.

First responders across the area worked quickly to respond to traffic problems and to help motorists navigate the conditions.

IMPACT

In preparation for the potential weather, Orange County Schools opted to cancel classes and all school-related activities.

“Due to a high potential for a variety of inclement weather situations, including high winds, sleet and snow, all OCS schools and buildings will be closed Monday, January 3, 2022,” read a statement from the school district.

Remote learning is also canceled for Orange County Schools on Monday.

Chapel-Hill Carrboro City Schools announced at 5:30 Monday morning that classes would go on as scheduled, but after-school activities would all be canceled Monday. Then at 6 a.m., the school district updated its decision, opting instead to cancel all classes.

Franklin County Schools also decided to cancel classes, citing flash flooding and potential power outages.

See the full school closings list here.

Gov. Roy Cooper issued a statement Sunday afternoon urging North Carolinians to stay aware of the local weather forecast and prepare for any expected conditions.

“It’s important to stay informed of changing weather conditions, and to have a way to receive weather alerts,” Cooper said. “A little preparation before severe or winter weather arrives can help avoid inconveniences and emergencies later.”

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California snowstorm shuts down 70-mile stretch of interstate

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A 70-mile stretch of Interstate 80 in California has been shut down due extreme winter weather, with forecasters warning that travel could be difficult for the next few days.

The California Department of Transportation announced on Twitter that a section I-80 from Colfax, Calif., to the border of Nevada has been closed due to zero visibility conditions.

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Sacramento, Calif., has issued a winter storm warning that is expected to impact mountain and foothill travel until Tuesday. The areas affected by the storm warning include the Sacramento Valley, western Plumas County, Lassen Volcanic National Park and the northern Sierra Nevada range.

“A Winter Storm Warning for snow means there will be snow covered roads and limited visibilities. Travel is not recommended while the warning is in effect. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,” said the NWS.

Snow accumulations of 1 to 3 feet is expected with some localized areas of up to 5 feet according to the NWS. The heaviest weather conditions are expected to be from Sunday evening to Monday morning.



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Winter Storm Warning Issued for Parts of NE Illinois, NW Indiana With Heavy Snow Expected – NBC Chicago

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The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for portions of Illinois and Indiana as heavy snow and frigid wind chills are expected through Tuesday morning.

The warning will go into effect at 6 p.m. Sunday in Kankakee and eastern Will Counties in Illinois, along with Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties in northwest Indiana. The warning will remain in effect through 9 a.m. Tuesday.

All of Cook County will also be under a winter storm warning beginning at 3 a.m. Monday and running through noon on Tuesday.

According to the warning, frigid temperatures and occasional snow are in the forecast for Sunday night, with the main threat of snow coming during the evening commute on Monday. Approximately 4-to-8 inches of snow are possible in the affected areas, and areas closer to Lake Michigan could see even more snow due to lake-effect enhancement.

Wind chills of up to 20 degrees below zero are also possible in the impacted counties, with frigid overnight temperatures potentially impacting the effectiveness of salt and other road treatments, according to the warning.

A winter weather advisory has been issued for Lake County in Illinois, along with Kane, DuPage, LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy and northern and southern Will counties. The advisory will go into effect at noon Monday and run through 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Bursts of snowfall are expected in the impacted areas, with frigid wind chills also posing a threat in those communities.



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NYC Weather: Winter Storm Warning for parts of the Tri-State area

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NEW YORK (WABC) — A Winter Storm Warning for a fast-moving system that could dump several inches of fresh snow on Sunday.

The good news is the storm is not expected to reach the same magnitude as the 2-3 feet of snow seen earlier this week.

ALERT: Winter Storm Warning New York City, Long Island, and parts of the Tri-State area

Two separate storms – one coming from the west and one developing to the south – will not merge to produce a powerhouse storm. Instead, the one to the west will weaken on Saturday night, while the other begins moving off the east coast.

Unlike the previous northeast snowstorm, this storm is a quick mover and snowfall amounts should be relatively lighter.

During the day on Sunday, snow could be heavy at times across the northeast with snowfall rates up to 2 inches per hour. This will cause low visibility and dangerous road conditions.

The storm will be almost out of the northeast by Sunday evening, with only some scattered snow showers remaining.

Additionally, much of the ground is covered in snow, so at least on snow covered surfaces the snow will not have a problem accumulating.

A widespread 3 to 6 inches of snow is possible – just enough to cause some travel disruptions, but road crews should be able to keep up.

And keep those shovels handy next week. We may have another shot at snow or rain on Tuesday ushering in some bitterly cold Arctic air.

RELATED: “Rising Risk” docuseries explores how those rising sea levels will play out in the lower Manhattan of the late 21st century. Watch now on our CTV apps for Fire, Roku, Apple TV and Android TV
MORE ACCUWEATHER RESOURCES

Check the latest alerts and advisories for the New York area from the National Weather Service

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For weather updates wherever you go, please download the AccuWeather app.

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Major winter storm moving into Iowa Monday

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KCCI Storm Team 8 continues to track the winter storm moving through central Iowa. Interactive Radar | Weather Alerts | Closings | Road ConditionsWinter storm warnings and winter weather advisories issued by the National Weather Service remain in effect and are expected to continue through Tuesday afternoon.Heavy snowfall is expected to continue at rates of up to 2 inches per hour are expected to continue into the night, resulting in accumulations up to 13 inches in the Des Moines metro. Iowa Department of Transportation reports completely covered roads across central Iowa, with travel not advised west of Clive.Most cities around the metro have announced snow emergency parking bans. Check your city website or Facebook page for the latest. Share your snow photos with us through ulocal. HAZARDS: Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 7 to 12 inches, with locally greater amounts possible. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.AREAS IMPACTED: Central and southern Iowa. IMPACTS: Plan on snow-covered roads and low visibilities, especially overnight. Travel may become near impossible at times. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility and cause blowing and drifting of snow. Near blizzard and whiteout conditions are possible with travel not recommended in many locations.Futurecast shows latest winter storm track, expected snow totals

DES MOINES, Iowa —

KCCI Storm Team 8 continues to track the winter storm moving through central Iowa.

Interactive Radar | Weather Alerts | Closings | Road Conditions

Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories issued by the National Weather Service remain in effect and are expected to continue through Tuesday afternoon.

Heavy snowfall is expected to continue at rates of up to 2 inches per hour are expected to continue into the night, resulting in accumulations up to 13 inches in the Des Moines metro.

Iowa Department of Transportation reports completely covered roads across central Iowa, with travel not advised west of Clive.

Most cities around the metro have announced snow emergency parking bans. Check your city website or Facebook page for the latest.

Share your snow photos with us through ulocal.

HAZARDS: Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 7 to 12 inches, with locally greater amounts possible. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.

AREAS IMPACTED: Central and southern Iowa.

IMPACTS: Plan on snow-covered roads and low visibilities, especially overnight. Travel may become near impossible at times. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility and cause blowing and drifting of snow. Near blizzard and whiteout conditions are possible with travel not recommended in many locations.

Futurecast shows latest winter storm track, expected snow totals

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