I quote from the Four Seasons hit in reference to last night's remarkable squall which blew in with seldom-seen gusto. Just before I took to airwaves at 4pm on Wednesday, a robust lake-effect snow band was assembling pointed toward Milwaukee. During the newscast, I mentioned how that band would lead to possible white-out conditions. Well, as my wife, her brother and I were about to leave my house to attend my son's school play around 6:15, the snow had just begun to fall. By the time we arrived at school, it was a raging white hammer. Nearly 3" fell in an hour's time! We ended up with 5-6" in Lake County, but as the squall headed south, thunder and lightning accompanied the snow. Thundersnow, as it's known, is more common than you might imagine. Steep lapse rates, otherwise known as a rapid drop in temperatures with height, led to the thunderous snow showers. Whenever you have thundersnow, 2" per hour snowfall rates are likely.
The sun's back out today, but clouds from an intense low pressure system pounding the Northeast will return from the east tomorrow. Snow showers will be possible as well starting here tomorrow night into Saturday at least.
Mike
