URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
314 PM CST SAT JAN 26 2013
Currently the greatest chance for freezing rain and ice accumulation is forecast to occur between I-80 and the Illinois-Wisconsin state line (with greater accumulation likely far north). Temperatures are expected to hold steady at 17-18°F from about 8 p.m. until 2:00 a.m., then temperatures are expected to rise. Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing in Arlington Heights at about 8:00 p.m. Sunday. The freezing rain could begin at 9:00 a.m., but is expected to begin after 12 noon. Precipitation is expected to changeover to all rain between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Sunday.
Southern regions of Chicagoland (south of Beecher to Streator) have already been alerted to a Feezing Rain Advisory — a lesser threat than the Winter Storm Watch. The northern suburbs may be switched to a Freezing Rain Advisory if the threat for significant ice accumulation decreases.
…SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY
NIGHT…
WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE IL-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK-
LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…ROCKFORD…BELVIDERE…WOODSTOCK…
WAUKEGAN…OREGON…DIXON…DEKALB…AURORA…WHEATON…CHICAGO…
OTTAWA…OSWEGO…MORRIS…JOLIET
314 PM CST SAT JAN 26 2013
…WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH
SUNDAY EVENING…
* TIMING…FREEZING RAIN…POSSIBLY MIXED WITH SLEET…WILL
DEVELOP LATE SUNDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY EVENING.
FREEZING RAIN WILL CHANGE TO RAIN SUNDAY EVENING FROM SOUTH TO
NORTH AS TEMPERATURES GRADUALLY RISE ABOVE FREEZING.
* MAIN IMPACT…THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SIGNIFICANT ICE
ACCUMULATION IN EXCESS OF A QUARTER OF AN INCH.
* OTHER IMPACTS…ICE ACCUMULATING ON TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES
WILL WEIGH THEM DOWN AND WITH INCREASING WIND COULD RESULT IN
POWER OUTAGES. IN ADDITION…PAVEMENT AND SOIL TEMPERATURES
ARE BELOW FREEZING…SO ANY LIQUID PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY
FREEZE ON CONTACT AND RESULT IN VERY ICY AND DANGEROUS TRAVEL
CONDITIONS ON UNTREATED ROADWAYS. SIDEWAYS AND WALKWAYS COULD
ALSO TURN TO SHEETS OF ICE MAKING EVEN WALKING DIFFICULT AND
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. THIS STORM IS STILL IN
THE DEVELOPING STAGES AND ANY MINOR CHANGES IN FORECAST
TEMPERATURES COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE
FORECASTED PRECIPITATION TYPE AND RESULTANT ICING THREAT.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS ON THIS
DEVELOPING WINTER STORM.
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