WeatherSTAR3000 Emulation - Chicago, IL Blizzard Watch

STORM SYNOPSIS: Chicago, IL is in the bullseye of a very powerful potent winterstorm expected to bring everything except the kitchen sink from blizzard conditions, to crippling ice, to severe thunderstorms/possible tornadoes, to even flooding. This storm is projected to affect 1/3 (100 million) Americans in some form or shape of fashion the next 72 hours. Chicago via NWS is projected to accumulate 12 -18 inches of snow (24 inches locally) during the duration of this blizzard. Snowfall rates of over 3 inches per hour is also possible.

Post Storm Information
In Chicago, in anticipation of the imminent blizzard conditions, 1,300 flights were canceled at O'Hare and Midway airports. By 4:30pm, CST (22:30 GMT), the storm reached blizzard status with sustained winds exceeding 35 miles per hour (56 km/h), with white-out conditions being reported by spotters in the Old Town neighborhood on the city's North Side. while Lake Shore Drive was temporarily shut down due to impassible conditions.[60] City officials said on February 2, that at least 900 cars and busses were stranded on Lake Shore Drive, with their drivers and passengers being trapped in some cases for as long as 12 hours, but that closing the roadway earlier could have resulted in disastrous traffic conditions and possible accidents on other Chicago area streets. Tow trucks began pulling cars off of Lake Shore Drive on the evening of February 2, moving the cars to six temporary lots for motorists who abandoned their vehicles to arrive and claim. The city of Chicago did not keep track of the license plates of each vehicle, leading to complaints from many drivers and once they found their vehicles, many were not able to retrieve them from the lots due to them being parked bumper-to-bumper on February 3, the City of Chicago reopened Lake Shore Drive to traffic before rush hour.
The Chicago Public Schools announced, on February 1, that public schools would be closed on the following day (Wednesday, February 2), which marked the first cancellation of classes district wide since the Blizzard of 1999. Heavy snow and high sustained winds gusting in excess of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h), caused rail switches to freeze on the CTA's Red Line and blew portion of the roof off Wrigley Field. Northwestern University and the University of Chicago canceled classes Wednesday for the first time in over a decade due to the weather. Over 39,000 state workers were ordered not to come into work due to the weather; this was the largest figure since a blizzard in 1978. Mail service was stopped on Wednesday for six post office regions in Northern Illinois. Amtrak train service out of Chicago was also canceled across Illinois on Wednesday.

21.2 inches of snow fell at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, making this the third largest total snowfall in Chicago history, after the infamous Chicago Blizzard of 1967, and the Blizzard of 1999.

Song - Ralph Diekemper - "Song for Lee" I think this fit perfectly with the Winter background in this emulation so that's why I chose this song, plus it's my favorite from the January '11 overnight list.
Audio sample courtesy of twctoday.com

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• TWC
• NBCU
• Local Forecast
• Local on the 8s
• WeatherStar3000
• Chicago Blizzard
• February 2011
• The Weather Channel

[Localonthe8s]

Nice, I remember watching TWC coverage of that blizzard. Also, great song choice - blends in perfectly with the scenery