ARE YOU READY FOR SOME....

AVERAGE WEATHER?  How about that for some hype?  Well, we have to get thru today and today is just going to remind us that we are still fully entrenched in winter.  The bright beautiful sunshine may be nullified by the bitter cold wind chills below zero much of this day.  However, the good news is that we do get a break over the weekend with temperatures in the mid 30s!  And THAT would actually be above average! 

EVEN THE LOSERS...

GET LUCKY SOMETIMES....You're saying to yourself...what in the world is she talking about now?  Well, if you're a Tom Petty fan, you know those words....Here's how I will tie that in to weather.  For those of you who feel as though this has been a long, hard-fought winter, you may be putting us in the "losers" category as far as this winter goes...but today, we really are getting lucky.  Yes, I realize it's cold.  Yes, I realize this morning we had wind chills between 0 & -8...but we have escaped a major winter storm.  This storm passing well south of Chicago today has prompted alerts of all varieties to be posted from the Southern Plains to the Northeast.  You will most likely see on some news broadcast today the effects of a crippling ice storm raging across Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky and beyond.  So, today....we got lucky....but the cold lingers here in Chicago.  Tracy

For the Birds

As an avid birder, I like to share tips and sightings with our viewers from time to time.  My wife just forwarded a photo of a Common Redpoll in our backyard.  While not rare, the Redpoll is most commonly found north of here.  Maybe they've come farther south this winter due to the expanse of cold and snow! 

Birds expend a tremendous amount of energy during winter to help stay warm.  But many of their typical food sources such as insects and seeds are either gone or buried under the snow.  That's where we bird lovers can come in to help... by making sure the feeders are full of what birds need this time of year.  Here are some suggestions:

Oil sunflower is one of the best overall seeds to offer in the winter. It has a high calorie/ounce ratio due to its high fat and protein content and its relatively thin shell. Oil sunflower has twice the calories per pound than striped sunflower and its smaller shells make less mess when discarded by the birds.

Suet is another favorite among many of the birds that will visit backyards in the winter. Suet is a high-energy, pure-fat substance which is invaluable in winter when insects are harder to find and birds need many more calories to keep their bodies warm.  Downy Woodpeckers and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers bang away at my suet feeder from dawn to dusk!

Suet can be fed in a variety of feeders ranging from a suet cage to a wood and cage feeder offering protection from the weather elements and designed to require the birds to hang upside down.

Peanuts are another great food to offer birds in the wintertime. Offering peanuts in a dedicated feeder can provide a good source of protein.  I've never used peanuts, but I'm sure the birds would like a handful of Planters or similar!

Birds also need a source of water in winter.  While it may be impractical for the typical bird lover, heated bird baths are available for less than $100 at many hardware and garden stores. 

Most experts agree that by following these tips, you'll have no problem attracting a regular audience of hungry birds to your yard.  Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Juncos, Goldfinches, Sparrows, Nuthatches and Woodpeckers are among the most frequent visitors in my yard. Let me know who shows up at your place!

RAISE YOUR HAND IF....

you would like more snow!  I know you're out there and I think you'll be happy to know that we'll get a little bit of snow tomorrow!  If you were to look at the radar right now, it would appear that it's snowing in Chicago and while we may sneak out a few flurries today, that potential for snow is drying up for us today.  But tomorrow, as the main system stays south of us, it will be close enough to spread some snow into Chicago.  Latest guidance into the ABC7 Weather Center is suggesting amounts in the neighborhood of 4" along and near the I-80 corridor while those of you near the Wisconsin line, will get "cheated" with only an inch of snow.  Overall, the "over/under" on the week, looks under.  However, there are signs come Groundhog Day, no matter what Punxy Phil says, we may be able to crawl out of our burrows and look for some above average numbers as we change the calendar.  Tracy

Southerly Storm Track

No major snowstorms appear to be targeting Chicago this week, but that's not to say that parts of the area will miss out entirely.  The first snowfall will move into the area tomorrow.  Right now, it looks like little more than flurries, but our in-house MicroCast computer model is jumping on this first wave, suggesting 1" to 3" are possible by tomorrow night.  I don't buy it.  What seems more likely is that Tuesday will find us watching a more significant system passsing through the Ohio Valley... far enough south to keep the heaviest snows downstate.  Here, snowfall could reach 4" in the Kankakee Valley, with amounts tapering off to an inch or so near the Wisconsin line.   I do anticipate travel delays Tuesday so plan accordingly. 

Now on to the optimistic thermal prognosis.  Temps this month are running almost 6 degrees below normal. There will be no January thaw this week.  The highest temperature for the entire month has been 37.  It's been a long time since we've been that cold for an entire January.  So where's the optimism?  It finally looks as though the upper-air pattern is ready to transition into one which allows more Pacific air into the Midwest.  This would bring our temps into an above normal regime to start off February, and shift the axis of heavier snows to our south and east.  Places like DC, Philly, and New York have been largely spared the white hammmer of winter this season.  That too may change starting this week.  Our cold pattern kicked in on November 7th, and has held strong with only a few short interruptions.  It's time for a change, IMHO!!!  Mike

Frigid Weekend Blast

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside without a parka, yet another reminder of our latitude is moving in as we speak. A cold front, the leading edge of arctic air, is crossing the area this afternoon.  Temperatures will be falling steadily this evening and by daybreak tomorrow, should be within a few degrees of zero.  Throw in gusty northwest winds and wind chills will fall to -20 in some areas overnight.  The polar plunge will keep afternoon temps under 10 Saturday in most areas, setting the stage for sub-zero lows Sunday morning.  As far as snowfall, most of that for the weekend will be light and to our south.  The cold will not be as intense as the previous surge, but will last through Monday. 

     After that, as temperatures moderate, we run the risk of two snowstorms next week.  Current model guidance is alarmingly unimpressed with the threat of a major storm here.  So why is that "alarming" to me?  The track suggested by the models keeps most of the action off to our south.  The common error for the models is to forecast these storms too far south, then, as the storms get closer, the models bring them farther north... increasing the threat here.  Sticking snows are looming for Tuesday and again Thursday into Friday.  Then again the models may be right, and all of the action misses us to the south.  If they are wrong, this would be the first significant snowfall for the area in about 2 weeks, so I guess we're overdue! 

HAPPY WEEKEND???

While many of us REALLY look forward to the weekend, do you look forward to it when the afternoon high temperatures will not even reach the average low temperatures for the day?  That is how I can best describe the weekend forecast.  Our average low this time of year is in the mid-teens....at best, we'll make it to 12 degrees for afternoon highs.  And once those wind chills drop below zero tonight, they will stay below zero the whole weekend!  Stay warm and maybe check out one of those Oscar-nominated movies ;)....the only ones I have seen are Kung-Fu Panda and WALL-E!  Any other suggestions?

A SPRING IN YOUR STEP TOO?

Oh, that sun!  It sure does a lot for the spirit!  I just observe folks walking by our State Street Studio window and they seem to moving more slowly to enjoy the sun versus that brisk Chicago wind that pushes them along.  But what would you rather have...the sun and bitterly cold temperatures (that's coming this weekend)...or average air temperatures and additional snow?  (we may see that at the end of next week)....I know today's combination of average temperatures and sunshine is probably what would get the majority vote!  Tracy

ALL'S QUIET ON THE CHICAGO FRONT

Good morning and HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO ALL!  As I was driving in this morning, I was almost struck by the stillness and quiet of our weather.  It's so nice to be in a tranquil weather pattern.  I LOVE that there is snow on the ground.  Despite the efforts we have to go thru to get around when there is significant snow falling, the end result is beautiful, I think.  I don't care for January and February when it's cold and there is no snow on the ground.  So, I relish in the snow-pack we have and a little bit of a chill.  Come March 1st, I WANT IT GONE ;)....

Today I forecast a high of 29...I'm just a little shy about posting 32 today, given that beautiful snow pack I just referenced above. 

THE SUN IS OUT...IF

you are west and north of the city.  However, as I watch the radar, I can still see some of the lake-effect snow focusing on the city again.  Now, the National Weather Service has placed Cook County under a lake-effect snow advisory until 6pm today.  It is very possible we may see another 1-3" of accumulating snow here in the city this morning.  Mainly areas in Southeast Cook County into NW Indiana will see additional accumulations of 4-7" TODAY!