As a general rule, snowfall comes in at about a 10:1 ratio to the liquid which made it. In other words, if you had an inch of liquid in a snowstorm, you could expect 10" of snow. Thanks to an unusually low snow to liquid ratio this time, snowfall totals were mainly in the 3"-5" range. For example, O'Hare ended up with 3.1" of snow, from .49" of liquid. That's a 6:1 ratio. Romeoville milked 3.5" out of .59" liquid, also 6:1. Batavia's 2.9" snowfall came from .52" of liquid, about 5.5:1. Farther north, slightly colder conditions led to higher snow yields, Woodstock's 3.0" from .27" liquid is an 11:1 ratio. That lower ratio, coupled with slightly more southern track of the storm kept totals on the low end of our forecast. What's left is plenty of slush, and the dreaded "heart attack" snow that makes shoveling a real chore. On the other hand, this snow is terrific for snowballs and snowman construction, so the kids will love it. Up next, a shot of arctic air which will arrive tomorrow night with a few snow showers and decidedly colder temperatures. Highs will be in the 20s Wednesday through Friday, so for those looking for signs of Spring, the wait continues.
Mike
