By the start of February, records at O’Hare and Midway airports show that approximately 60 percent of Chicago’s snowfall has normally been accounted for. This total of course varies widely from winter to winter, but past records show the season of snow is fast on a decline. By the end of February, 80 percent of total seasonal snowfall has normally occurred.
Near-normal snowfall for February’s first half
Current indications are that while the first half of February may see near-normal snowfall, it will not add much weight to this season’s skinny snow total. With northerly flow aloft predicted, cold Canadian air masses are expected to dominate the western Great Lakes and Chicago weather into mid-February. Cold, low dew point, low moisture-content air will be semi-permanently in place. This pattern will depress moisture-laden Gulf of Mexico flow far to the south, and Chicago will have to rely on snow generated by frequently passing, but relatively low-moisture content, cold fronts from the Northwest for snowfall.
Sources: Frank Wachowski, National Weather Service, Midwest Climate Center
WGN-TV/Paul Dailey
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
