Satellite imagery Sunday evening showed a cloud mass over the northern Plains swirling southeastward toward the Midwest. With snow still falling, portions of southeast South Dakota and southern Minnesota had received over 8 inches of accumulation. Visibilities across northern Iowa were reported near zero.
As this system passes well south of Chicago on Monday, the area can expect its first significant snowfall since early December. Lake-effect snow will persist Monday night and Tuesday, a byproduct of an intense storm circulation developing off the East Coast. Skies are expected to clear by Wednesday, but temperatures will remain nearly 20 degrees below normal. Snow cover may allow readings Wednesday night to dip to around 10 degrees. Milder, Pacific air is forecast to reach the area over the weekend.
