Windy...rain. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Lows in the mid 30s. East winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph at times. Chance of precipitation 100 percent.
Christmas Day
Windy. Light rain in the morning...then light snow likely early in the afternoon. Occasional flurries in the afternoon. Little or no snow accumulation. Turning sharply colder. Highs in the lower 40s. Then temperatures falling into the upper 20s by evening. Southeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph at times until late afternoon decreasing to 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph at times late in the afternoon. Chance of measurable precipitation 90 percent.
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy. Occasional flurries. Much colder. Lows in the lower 20s. South winds 10 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph early in the evening.
Saturday
Snow showers likely. Highs in the mid 20s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.
... Flood Watch remains in effect through late tonight...
The Flood Watch continues for
* portions of Illinois and Indiana... including the following areas... in Illinois... Boone... Cook... De Kalb... dupage... Ford... Grundy... Iroquois... Kane... Kankakee... Kendall... La Salle... lake IL... Lee... Livingston... McHenry... Ogle... will and Winnebago. In Indiana... Benton... Jasper... Lake in... Newton and Porter.
* Through late tonight.
* Rain is expected to become moderate to occasionally heavy this afternoon and continue through the overnight hours. Total rainfall amounts of 1.5 to 2 inches will be common... .with the potential for locally higher rainfall totals by Friday morning.
* Current snow cover ranges from 4 to 8 inches across northwest Illinois to 1 to 3 inches across Northwest Indiana. As the snow melts and moderate to occasional heavy rain develops... rapid runoff due to frozen ground conditions will result in significant rises on area rivers... with some rivers possibly reaching or exceeding flood stage. Flooding across low lying and other flood prone areas will also be possible.
Precautionary/preparedness actions...
A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.
1025 am CST Thu Dec 24 2009
The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a * Flood Advisory for the Des Plaines river at Riverside. * Until late Saturday night. * At 945 am Thursday the stage was 3.7 feet. * Bankfull stage is 6.0 feet. * Flood stage is 7.0 feet. * Forecast... the river will rise to near 6.2 feet by Saturday morning. * Impact... at 6.0 feet... water begins to overflow banks in the lowest areas adjacent to the river.
Local Storm Report
12/24/2009 1250 PM
Evanston, Cook County.
Freezing rain m0.20 inch, reported by trained spotter.
A lot of ice on trees and powerlines.
12/23/2009 0650 PM
Cicero, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.00 inch, reported by co-op observer.
Light to moderate freezing rain. Glazing is increasing on buildings, fences, and trees.
12/23/2009 0715 PM
Homewood, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.28 inch, reported by trained spotter.
1/8 to 3/16 of an inch accumulation.
12/23/2009 0900 PM
3 miles SSE of Evanston, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.20 inch, reported by trained spotter.
0.20 of an inch ice accumulation with 1.00 of snow on the ground. Untreated side streets are slush covered. Glaze on most surfaces. Cocorahs.
12/23/2009 1000 PM
1 miles E of Lincolnwood, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.10 inch, reported by trained spotter.
1/10 of an inch ice accumulation so far.
12/23/2009 1050 PM
Morton Grove, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.20 inch, reported by trained spotter.
Ice accumulation.
12/23/2009 0325 PM
1 miles SW of Streamwood, Cook County.
Snow e1.0 inch, reported by trained spotter.
A period of heavy snow has moved through producing one inch of snow in one hour. Precip is now back to ice pellets. Cocorahs observer.
12/23/2009 0400 PM
Ohare Airport, Cook County.
Snow m0.9 inch, reported by official NWS obs.
0.9 snowfall.
12/23/2009 1050 PM
Morton Grove, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.20 inch, reported by trained spotter.
Ice accumulation.
12/23/2009 1000 PM
1 miles E of Lincolnwood, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.10 inch, reported by trained spotter.
1/10 of an inch ice accumulation so far.
12/23/2009 0900 PM
3 miles SSE of Evanston, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.20 inch, reported by trained spotter.
0.20 of an inch ice accumulation with 1.00 of snow on the ground. Untreated side streets are slush covered. Glaze on most surfaces. Cocorahs.
12/23/2009 0715 PM
Homewood, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.28 inch, reported by trained spotter.
1/8 to 3/16 of an inch accumulation.
12/23/2009 0650 PM
Cicero, Cook County.
Freezing rain e0.00 inch, reported by co-op observer.
Light to moderate freezing rain. Glazing is increasing on buildings, fences, and trees.
12/23/2009 0400 PM
Ohare Airport, Cook County.
Snow m0.9 inch, reported by official NWS obs.
0.9 snowfall.
12/23/2009 0400 PM
Ohare Airport, Cook County.
Snow e0.9 inch, reported by official NWS obs.
From 2 PM to 4 PM.
12/23/2009 0325 PM
1 miles SW of Streamwood, Cook County.
Snow e1.0 inch, reported by trained spotter.
A period of heavy snow has moved through producing one inch of snow in one hour. Precip is now back to ice pellets.