SchaumburgStormer

I am going to make a run at 10” of APRIL snow. Insane.

Wrecks all over I-88 and on the local roads out this way.

Just started accumulating on roads/pavement

Back to snow now

Nope, and after 10-15 minutes of rippage, we popped back over to rain

Absolute rippage under these heavier returns reminds me of of two weeks ago

33 with all snow. I expected some more rain, will be rip city this afternoon

Pretty much full snow on DKB

Trying hard to flip to full snow. Getting good bursts, but then working back to mostly rain. Currently at 36

Flakes mixing in now in DKB

Wasn’t April cold, and it really screwed up a lot of crops? Apples specifically? I feel like I remember a very early leaf out which was then hit hard by April frost/freeze.

Looks like you are a solid week or two ahead of us. We have small leaves on most trees, many like my birches and oaks with nothing yet

Amounts notwithstanding, I would issue a watch due to the anomalous situation. General public isn't real prepared to deal with potentially significant accumulating snow in late April

If I were LOT, I would have 88 and north under a watch with the afternoon update

Prior to a few weeks ago, I would have dismissed this as impossible. But after watching those rates stack up 7.5" in no time, this could be even better. If its going to happen, lets shatter the record.

12z GFS appears to be nudging south again.

Yeah I think that’s probably more to my point. Impacts, rates, total accumulation was spot on. Placement of the heaviest band was pretty solid too, but it didn’t handle the north west edge well in IL, or the northern extent in Wisconsin.

Also worth noting, the HRRR did real well with the most recent spring snowstorm. Will be interesting to see where it has everything once this storm gets into its wheelhouse.

Leaf out, at least in my area, is juuuust starting. Really seeing the green hue begin to show up just in the last couple days. I would say that it should have a marginal impact on tree damage.

I certainly understand and don’t necessarily disagree with the handling of headlines/forecast ahead of the storms arrival. I think prudent forecasting would call for not leaning on a solution that is historic and/or well on the fringes of probability. With that being said, you also cannot sit on your hands when it becomes apparent that this historic event is unfolding. Upstream obs made it fairly clear early in the morning that the low probability event was unfolding. I was getting 2+ inch per hour rates with thundersnow and near zero visibility with no headline. Roads went to shit very quickly, with the general public mostly unaware that this kind of impact was even on the table. After the death band had shifted north a bit (but still under mod-heavy snow) we get a WWA for 2-6” when central Dekalb county and areas NE already have 6” already on the ground. While I don’t envy your position, the messages seemed to vary wildly in the AFD’s leading to the event. From informative of the issues at play, to a complete downplaying of the models, it seemed like the shifts could not get on the same page. A good event to look back on and study. I would assume that the NWS is having some debriefs and discussing all sides of this and determining what can be done better next time. Your office does a great job, and we appreciate your inside info.

I think the HRRR from the night before was about spot on

Even out here, where we got nearly 8", full melt mode is on. Likely will be very little left by daybreak tomorrow.

What a freaking storm. Just got done building a snowman with my daughter and measured again. Still snowing lightly with 7.4” total thus far. Expecting a couple more tenths unless we switch to rain. During the thundersnow, I picked up nearly 2” in 20 minutes with snowballs the size of tennis balls pouring down. I will try to get a time lapse from my security cam and upload it later tonight.

HBO has taken this Game of Thrones “Winter is Coming” marketing wayyy to far.