Chicago Storm

ORD had a high temperature of 83° today, which broke the record high temperature for the date of 82°, which was set in 1887 and 1941.

It's not often that you see a full week with temps in the 70's and 80's in mid-April, without any sort of lake breeze...Whether it be in April, May or June. Managed to do it earlier this week with light winds, but good gradient alignment. Now as we have transitioned into mid week, and continuing into late week, stronger winds are preventing development.

MDW hit 80 for about 2 minutes.

Final event (April 4th & 5th) tornado count of 9 in IL.

It’s currently 93° in Pierre, SD and 50° in Aberdeen, SD…With a difference of 150 miles between both locations. That’s probably one of the sharper non-frontal boundary gradients you’ll ever see. Check out the significant inversion on the HRRR simulated sounding, from along the SD/ND border this afternoon.

And we're back with some new ones to watch... Earliest Last Measurable Snowfall Of A Season: 1. 1994 - 2/28 2. 1985 - 3/3 3. 2012 - 3/4 4. 1945 - 3/6 5. 1953 - 3/8 6. 1946 - 3/9 6. 1919 - 3/9 8. 1999 - 3/10 9. 1963 - 3/12 10. 2023 - 3/13 Least Seasonal Total Snowfall: 1. 9.8" - 1920/21 2. 11.5" - 1921/22 3. 12.0" - 1936/37 4. 14.3" - 1948/49 5. 18.0" - 1898/99 6. 18.2" - 1901/02 7. 18.9" - 1924/25 8. 19.0" - 1914/15 8. 19.0" - 1912/13 10. 19.7" - 2022/23 (11. 19.8" - 2011/12)

welcome to the 0 meter club.

Haven't had a chance to put out any April thoughts with the active severe weather pattern ongoing, but... Spring is here for April, let's just put it that way. We are losing a lot of the ridging that has been in place up north, which was shunting the remaining cold air down into our region. I feel highly confident in saying Chicago has seen it's last accumulating snow for the season, which was back on 3/13. There's a better chance of racking up numerous 70+ days this month than seeing more accumulating snowfall.

Forgot to mention... This past Friday (3/31) was not only the first 60+ day of the year at ORD, but it was also the first 70+ day as well.

I'll be unable to chase this afternoon/evening due to work, as I had a decision between chasing today or Friday, and chose Friday. If I were able to, I would most definitely head out towards the IL/IA border, in anticipation of the afternoon/evening round of potential development in the vicinity of the warm front. Might still attempt to make a play on this morning/midday round if it moves in quick enough, and looks to be producing quality damaging winds/hail still.

They do. Risk level is coverage based and hatching is for significance. Their system is still quite flawed, though.

3/31 and 4/1 were two separate events, and wouldn't really consider either day to have had a derecho. 3/31 featured mixed mode, which produced corridors of damaging winds. 4/1 had two separate complexes, neither of which had the distance/longevity.

For now. Could readjust as I get closer. .

I’m about 30 minutes ahead of you. .

Taking care of a few things, and then will be headed WSW. Initial target likely Galesburg area, though that could change.

Each region has always had their own threads, so doesn’t matter much in the end. .

Might as well extend this into Monday and Tuesday as well. .

I've been watching... Still a bit too far out to make a final decision, but personally I may sit this one out to save days off for other opportunities down the road (Events without 50-75MPH storm motions and potential upscale growth issues). We'll see... Nonetheless, as it looks now there most definitely is quality potential across portions of IA/MO/IL, and possibly some adjacent areas as well.

that's a no.

per usual, they’re having issues. .

I would bank on this trending slower, and thus trending west.

Currently a cluster of t’storms, some severe, in the vicinity of the warm front near I-80. .

There’s been a good bit of TSSN around the QC over the past hour. .

There were a few this evening and tonight. The Rolling Fork-Silver City, MS one was during the evening, and it sounds and looks like it was quite significant. Then tonight Amory, MS took a hit from another significant one. One of the better looking radar couplets you’ll see… .

For those in MN/WI/MI that are not socked in clouds, a big northern lights display is currently underway. Being reported as far south as Virginia, with solid naked eye viewing.