December 2025 General Discussion

[cyclone77]

Had an hour period of non-accumulating snow globe action. Always nice to see daytime snow here west of the lakes.

[RemoteSenses]

Just finished snowblowing the driveway. 6.8" here after last nights storm. 

[Chicago Storm]

2 hours ago, A-L-E-K said:

the snowpack was built on dusters

poor take, they definitelywere not dusters.

[SchaumburgStormer]

30 minutes ago, beavis1729 said:

I'm going to trust that others are with me in this rant...but if not, then ignore or delete the post, and call me crazy/unhinged.

How do we get 15" of snow in a 7-day period, then it's down to bare patches a few days later with only 18 hours of above-freezing temps?  It's absolutely ridiculous, and wipes out any earlier thoughts on "a great start to winter".  If the snow doesn't stay on the ground, it's as though it never happened.

Even prior to the short thaw yesterday, the depth was down to 9" IMBY, which is a whole other issue...as the depth went down by 6" with sub-freezing temps.  Now it's down to 3" of slush.  I realize there can be some compaction and a bit of melting over time, and when you have 18 hours with temps 34-38, but the sun never came out...which normally would help.  It's not like it hit 50F with dews in the 40s. There should be 10" of depth now, not 3"...and it's even worse by ORD and the more urbanized areas.

Why is it so ******* difficult to preserve snow around here?  Do soil temps really make that much of a difference, combined with a half-day with dews over 32F?  How do you lose 15" of snow with one day above freezing, during the time of year when sun angle is the lowest? 

It's a like a million things need to go right to get snow in the first place, and then a million more things need to go right to keep it on the ground.  One tiny thing goes wrong, and it all vanishes. If yesterday's "storm" would have tracked 75 miles further south (which is just a chaotic blip in the grand scheme of things), none of this would be happening.  One tiny annoying random event should not destroy 2 weeks of a good pattern, but it does.  Same thing happened with GHD I in Feb. 2011.  22" of depth on 2/5/11, and it was essentially all gone 10 days later.  If that were March, no problem...but that shouldn't happen in early-mid Feb, well within the winter season on the calendar.

This looked like a guaranteed White Christmas a few days ago, now it's almost a guaranteed brown Christmas...just a complete 180 degree turnaround.

 

Beavis ranting because we GOT snow? This December really is topsy turvy 

[michaelmantis]

Even after the all evening rain, still looks to be 3-4 inches of snow all around on in my neck of the woods that is quickly becoming a glacier. Now just need a few inches to give it a nice look again. Sick looking out the window and the nice winter scene with what remains from a-hole people walking their dog shitting and peeing without cleaning it up. 

[sbnwx85]

It’s not officially winter in the Midwest until we get a good Beavis rant . Nothing we can do to control the weather but it is frustrating.

[ChiTownSnow]

Sheesh.. this escalated quickly

[Stevo6899]

Beavis could win the powerball and still complain about having to pay 200 mil in taxes. Altho im sure some could say the same about me. 

[Chicago Storm]

2 hours ago, beavis1729 said:

I'm going to trust that others are with me in this rant...but if not, then ignore or delete the post, and call me crazy/unhinged.

How do we get 15" of snow in a 7-day period, then it's down to bare patches a few days later with only 18 hours of above-freezing temps?  It's absolutely ridiculous, and wipes out any earlier thoughts on "a great start to winter".  If the snow doesn't stay on the ground, it's as though it never happened.

Even prior to the short thaw yesterday, the depth was down to 9" IMBY, which is a whole other issue...as the depth went down by 6" with sub-freezing temps.  Now it's down to 3" of slush.  I realize there can be some compaction and a bit of melting over time, and when you have 18 hours with temps 34-38, but the sun never came out...which normally would help.  It's not like it hit 50F with dews in the 40s. There should be 10" of depth now, not 3"...and it's even worse by ORD and the more urbanized areas.

Why is it so ******* difficult to preserve snow around here?  Do soil temps really make that much of a difference, combined with a half-day with dews over 32F?  How do you lose 15" of snow with one day above freezing, during the time of year when sun angle is the lowest? 

It's a like a million things need to go right to get snow in the first place, and then a million more things need to go right to keep it on the ground.  One tiny thing goes wrong, and it all vanishes. If yesterday's "storm" would have tracked 75 miles further south (which is just a chaotic blip in the grand scheme of things), none of this would be happening.  One tiny annoying random event should not destroy 2 weeks of a good pattern, but it does.  Same thing happened with GHD I in Feb. 2011.  22" of depth on 2/5/11, and it was essentially all gone 10 days later.  If that were March, no problem...but that shouldn't happen in early-mid Feb, well within the winter season on the calendar.

This looked like a guaranteed White Christmas a few days ago, now it's almost a guaranteed brown Christmas...just a complete 180 degree turnaround.

"mild" ground temps + dp's above 32 + temps above 32 + windy + rain = rapid melt.

also, if one has been looking at the pattern ahead, they would know a white christmas was never a guarantee.

[sbnwx85]

Kinda rippin now. Too bad temps are marginal.

[sbnwx85]

It’s lake effect raining now. I hate it. Makes me angrier than Beavis during an El Niño winter.

[Brian D]

5 hours ago, beavis1729 said:

I'm going to trust that others are with me in this rant...but if not, then ignore or delete the post, and call me crazy/unhinged.

How do we get 15" of snow in a 7-day period, then it's down to bare patches a few days later with only 18 hours of above-freezing temps?  It's absolutely ridiculous, and wipes out any earlier thoughts on "a great start to winter".  If the snow doesn't stay on the ground, it's as though it never happened.

Even prior to the short thaw yesterday, the depth was down to 9" IMBY, which is a whole other issue...as the depth went down by 6" with sub-freezing temps.  Now it's down to 3" of slush.  I realize there can be some compaction and a bit of melting over time, and when you have 18 hours with temps 34-38, but the sun never came out...which normally would help.  It's not like it hit 50F with dews in the 40s. There should be 10" of depth now, not 3"...and it's even worse by ORD and the more urbanized areas.

Why is it so ******* difficult to preserve snow around here?  Do soil temps really make that much of a difference, combined with a half-day with dews over 32F?  How do you lose 15" of snow with one day above freezing, during the time of year when sun angle is the lowest? 

It's a like a million things need to go right to get snow in the first place, and then a million more things need to go right to keep it on the ground.  One tiny thing goes wrong, and it all vanishes. If yesterday's "storm" would have tracked 75 miles further south (which is just a chaotic blip in the grand scheme of things), none of this would be happening.  One tiny annoying random event should not destroy 2 weeks of a good pattern, but it does.  Same thing happened with GHD I in Feb. 2011.  22" of depth on 2/5/11, and it was essentially all gone 10 days later.  If that were March, no problem...but that shouldn't happen in early-mid Feb, well within the winter season on the calendar.

This looked like a guaranteed White Christmas a few days ago, now it's almost a guaranteed brown Christmas...just a complete 180 degree turnaround.

 

What was the SWE of that snow? Drier snows melt down faster. More air in the pack with fluffier snows as well. 

[Torchageddon]

I'm getting daily snows to keep things fresh, I got 12cm/4.5" yesterday and this morning more SN+ from LES although the heavier bands are to my SW. The % of hours this Dec with snow flying in the air has been high. Snowpack at 50cm/20". Even with the wind and dry snow its sticking to trees and most surfaces! This is shaping up to be one of my favorite Decembers, only missing a synoptic snow storm which doesn't seem to happen anymore in the first half of Decs (been forever).

[michsnowfreak]

These dudes were chilling by the side of a road last night. Frozen solid after a slushy day.

[michsnowfreak]

21 hours ago, beavis1729 said:

I'm going to trust that others are with me in this rant...but if not, then ignore or delete the post, and call me crazy/unhinged.

How do we get 15" of snow in a 7-day period, then it's down to bare patches a few days later with only 18 hours of above-freezing temps?  It's absolutely ridiculous, and wipes out any earlier thoughts on "a great start to winter".  If the snow doesn't stay on the ground, it's as though it never happened.

Even prior to the short thaw yesterday, the depth was down to 9" IMBY, which is a whole other issue...as the depth went down by 6" with sub-freezing temps.  Now it's down to 3" of slush.  I realize there can be some compaction and a bit of melting over time, and when you have 18 hours with temps 34-38, but the sun never came out...which normally would help.  It's not like it hit 50F with dews in the 40s. There should be 10" of depth now, not 3"...and it's even worse by ORD and the more urbanized areas.

Why is it so ******* difficult to preserve snow around here?  Do soil temps really make that much of a difference, combined with a half-day with dews over 32F?  How do you lose 15" of snow with one day above freezing, during the time of year when sun angle is the lowest? 

It's a like a million things need to go right to get snow in the first place, and then a million more things need to go right to keep it on the ground.  One tiny thing goes wrong, and it all vanishes. If yesterday's "storm" would have tracked 75 miles further south (which is just a chaotic blip in the grand scheme of things), none of this would be happening.  One tiny annoying random event should not destroy 2 weeks of a good pattern, but it does.  Same thing happened with GHD I in Feb. 2011.  22" of depth on 2/5/11, and it was essentially all gone 10 days later.  If that were March, no problem...but that shouldn't happen in early-mid Feb, well within the winter season on the calendar.

This looked like a guaranteed White Christmas a few days ago, now it's almost a guaranteed brown Christmas...just a complete 180 degree turnaround.

 

While I always share frustration in snowmelt, Im curious, why do you only post when its to complain? I dont think I saw one post from you during Chicago's snow blitz not to mention one of the coldest starts to December on record. 

[OrdIowPitMsp]

Persistent flurries/light snow from the low stratus kept temps relatively mild overnight. Only made it down to 12F