chicago tribune article
this was the report in the chicago tribune from 9:36pm, 31 January 2011. i'm going to post the whole story because in an hour that link will probably become dead.
After watching the East Coast repeatedly hit with ferocious winter storms, the Chicago area is now braced for what weather prognosticators say could be a "dangerous, multifaceted and potentially life-threatening" blast of wind and snow, a storm the likes of which the region hasn't seen in more than a decade.
Of course, winter weather forecasts for Chicagoans can be emotional roller coasters, a tense ride up to a promised "worst storm ever" often anticlimaxing with a gentle dip down to a meteorological disappointment. In this case, the dip appears anything but gentle.
A blizzard warning will be in effect from 3 p.m. Tuesday until 3 p.m. Wednesday. In addition to snow and high winds, waves that could reach nearly 30 feet offshore on Lake Michigan could hit the shore with enough force to douse Lake Shore Drive with water and ice.
"The last storm of this potential magnitude to hit Chicago was in Jan. 2, 1999," said Richard Castro, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, referring to a storm that dumped 18.6 inches of snow.
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WGN meteorologist Tom Skilling said the storm is a convergence of several key elements, with frigid arctic air pouring from the north into the Great Plains and a powerful jet stream spinning warm, moist air in from the east.
"It is set up about as well as any winter storm that I have seen," Skilling said. "Every numerical and computer model we work with is on to this storm."
Despite memories of overhyped storms past, citizens, businesses, schools and government spent Monday beginning the onerous task of prepping for cancellations, shutdowns and treacherous travel.
Skilling said such preparation won't be in vain: "We're looking at this coming storm from 82 different computer estimates off of seven different weather models. The level of confidence of the forecast is pretty high."
With warnings of whiteout conditions, the weather service urged people not to travel once the blizzard hits. But preparations were under way to keep the city moving through the storm.
Roads
Chicago Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Thomas Byrne said the department will deploy its full fleet of 274 trucks plus 120 garbage trucks equipped with plowing equipment and is prepared to call in private contractors for help if needed.
"We will work this storm with everything we have at our disposal," Byrne said.
Residents shouldn't expect to see plows on side streets until after the snowfall stops and major thoroughfares are in order.
The Illinois Tollway will have its full fleet of 183 snowplows working on the 286-mile system of roads. Drivers are strongly advised to stay off the roads during and after the blizzard to allow snowplows and salt trucks to operate unobstructed.
Suburban streets departments were also expressing confidence in their readiness. Jim Hirakawa, superintendent of streets in Elmhurst, said the city will have 20 plow trucks working around the clock and plans to rent a half-dozen dump trucks to haul away snow.
"We think by Thursday morning, we'll have the main roads cleared," Hirakawa said.
Public transportation
The CTA plans to run trains and buses on regular schedules, said President Richard L. Rodriguez. But the agency is prepared to provide early rush-hour service on Tuesday for riders who leave work early to beat the storm.
All CTA trains are equipped with snowplow blades to clear snow away from the tracks. The agency will run eight-car trains during the storm to keep tracks as clear as possible.
On rail lines that don't operate 24 hours, sleet-fighter trains equipped with de-icing spray nozzles will operate overnight to keep snow from building up on the tracks and to prevent the electrified third rail from icing over.
Metra will probably be one of the go-to transit systems for the blizzard, and crowded trains and buses can be expected, Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said. She said the trains are heavy enough to clear snow from the rails, and Metra operates a special train to keep overhead wires on its electric lines free from ice.
Pardonnet said Metra riders can monitor delays and other problems at metrarail.com.
Air travel
Airlines started cancelling hundreds of flights scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday at O'Hare and Midway airports.
"We've already started taking out the last flights in the evening at some of the affected airports where we know planes will not be able to get out in the morning,'' said American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith.
At Midway, Southwest Airlines canceled some Tuesday afternoon flights, all flights Tuesday evening and most flights Wednesday morning, airline officials said.
Many people heading to Dallas for Sunday's Super Bowl will travel through Chicago, but airline officials said the heaviest travel days to Dallas are expected to be Thursday through Saturday.
Schools
Interim CEO Terry Mazany said that all CPS schools, which haven't been closed for snow since 1999, are scheduled to remain open, but he encouraged parents to frequently check the district's website.
Many evening classes for Tuesday have been canceled, and several school districts in the area, including junior high and high schools in Naperville Community District 203, already had made plans to close early on Tuesday.
"These are highly unusual circumstances," read the District 203 website. "Rarely do we receive a weather report so far in advance that is predicting such a significant snowfall combined with wind that it requires we take advance measures."
Other school officials were waiting and watching.
"Depending on when this snow hits, schools may cancel after-school activities or school altogether," said Prairie Grove School District 46 Superintendent Lynette Zimmer. "Right now, we are watching and waiting to see what transpires."
Stocking up
Snow shovels, batteries and rock salt lined the front walls of a Home Depot on North Avenue in Chicago, and Ken Turner was working overtime Monday afternoon keeping the aisles stocked.
"I'm bringing out pallet after pallet after pallet of salt," said Turner, the store's garden department supervisor.
Counting on the hardiness of Chicagoans, Medardo Ortiz, the maintenance manager at a Chicago nightclub, was at the store buying a shovel.
"I want to make sure I can give people clean sidewalks to walk on," Ortiz said. "People go out and want to have a good time no matter what the weather is doing."
In north suburban Island Lake, Kari Kimpton spent Monday nervously checking the weather updates on television, radio and the Internet.
"If we get a couple of inches of snow, it's no big deal," said Kimpton, who is trying to persuade her husband to buy a snowblower. "But to hear we may get 12 to 24 inches — that's a lot."
After watching the East Coast repeatedly hit with ferocious winter storms, the Chicago area is now braced for what weather prognosticators say could be a "dangerous, multifaceted and potentially life-threatening" blast of wind and snow, a storm the likes of which the region hasn't seen in more than a decade.
Of course, winter weather forecasts for Chicagoans can be emotional roller coasters, a tense ride up to a promised "worst storm ever" often anticlimaxing with a gentle dip down to a meteorological disappointment. In this case, the dip appears anything but gentle.
A blizzard warning will be in effect from 3 p.m. Tuesday until 3 p.m. Wednesday. In addition to snow and high winds, waves that could reach nearly 30 feet offshore on Lake Michigan could hit the shore with enough force to douse Lake Shore Drive with water and ice.
"The last storm of this potential magnitude to hit Chicago was in Jan. 2, 1999," said Richard Castro, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, referring to a storm that dumped 18.6 inches of snow.
Chicago Shopping Overwhelming Offers: Always 50% off or more from your favorite brands >>
WGN meteorologist Tom Skilling said the storm is a convergence of several key elements, with frigid arctic air pouring from the north into the Great Plains and a powerful jet stream spinning warm, moist air in from the east.
"It is set up about as well as any winter storm that I have seen," Skilling said. "Every numerical and computer model we work with is on to this storm."
Despite memories of overhyped storms past, citizens, businesses, schools and government spent Monday beginning the onerous task of prepping for cancellations, shutdowns and treacherous travel.
Skilling said such preparation won't be in vain: "We're looking at this coming storm from 82 different computer estimates off of seven different weather models. The level of confidence of the forecast is pretty high."
With warnings of whiteout conditions, the weather service urged people not to travel once the blizzard hits. But preparations were under way to keep the city moving through the storm.
Roads
Chicago Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Thomas Byrne said the department will deploy its full fleet of 274 trucks plus 120 garbage trucks equipped with plowing equipment and is prepared to call in private contractors for help if needed.
"We will work this storm with everything we have at our disposal," Byrne said.
Residents shouldn't expect to see plows on side streets until after the snowfall stops and major thoroughfares are in order.
The Illinois Tollway will have its full fleet of 183 snowplows working on the 286-mile system of roads. Drivers are strongly advised to stay off the roads during and after the blizzard to allow snowplows and salt trucks to operate unobstructed.
Suburban streets departments were also expressing confidence in their readiness. Jim Hirakawa, superintendent of streets in Elmhurst, said the city will have 20 plow trucks working around the clock and plans to rent a half-dozen dump trucks to haul away snow.
"We think by Thursday morning, we'll have the main roads cleared," Hirakawa said.
Public transportation
The CTA plans to run trains and buses on regular schedules, said President Richard L. Rodriguez. But the agency is prepared to provide early rush-hour service on Tuesday for riders who leave work early to beat the storm.
All CTA trains are equipped with snowplow blades to clear snow away from the tracks. The agency will run eight-car trains during the storm to keep tracks as clear as possible.
On rail lines that don't operate 24 hours, sleet-fighter trains equipped with de-icing spray nozzles will operate overnight to keep snow from building up on the tracks and to prevent the electrified third rail from icing over.
Metra will probably be one of the go-to transit systems for the blizzard, and crowded trains and buses can be expected, Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said. She said the trains are heavy enough to clear snow from the rails, and Metra operates a special train to keep overhead wires on its electric lines free from ice.
Pardonnet said Metra riders can monitor delays and other problems at metrarail.com.
Air travel
Airlines started cancelling hundreds of flights scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday at O'Hare and Midway airports.
"We've already started taking out the last flights in the evening at some of the affected airports where we know planes will not be able to get out in the morning,'' said American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith.
At Midway, Southwest Airlines canceled some Tuesday afternoon flights, all flights Tuesday evening and most flights Wednesday morning, airline officials said.
Many people heading to Dallas for Sunday's Super Bowl will travel through Chicago, but airline officials said the heaviest travel days to Dallas are expected to be Thursday through Saturday.
Schools
Interim CEO Terry Mazany said that all CPS schools, which haven't been closed for snow since 1999, are scheduled to remain open, but he encouraged parents to frequently check the district's website.
Many evening classes for Tuesday have been canceled, and several school districts in the area, including junior high and high schools in Naperville Community District 203, already had made plans to close early on Tuesday.
"These are highly unusual circumstances," read the District 203 website. "Rarely do we receive a weather report so far in advance that is predicting such a significant snowfall combined with wind that it requires we take advance measures."
Other school officials were waiting and watching.
"Depending on when this snow hits, schools may cancel after-school activities or school altogether," said Prairie Grove School District 46 Superintendent Lynette Zimmer. "Right now, we are watching and waiting to see what transpires."
Stocking up
Snow shovels, batteries and rock salt lined the front walls of a Home Depot on North Avenue in Chicago, and Ken Turner was working overtime Monday afternoon keeping the aisles stocked.
"I'm bringing out pallet after pallet after pallet of salt," said Turner, the store's garden department supervisor.
Counting on the hardiness of Chicagoans, Medardo Ortiz, the maintenance manager at a Chicago nightclub, was at the store buying a shovel.
"I want to make sure I can give people clean sidewalks to walk on," Ortiz said. "People go out and want to have a good time no matter what the weather is doing."
In north suburban Island Lake, Kari Kimpton spent Monday nervously checking the weather updates on television, radio and the Internet.
"If we get a couple of inches of snow, it's no big deal," said Kimpton, who is trying to persuade her husband to buy a snowblower. "But to hear we may get 12 to 24 inches — that's a lot."
posted by mikraas at 7:42 AM
1 Comments:
I remember that 1999 storm! It took me and Michelle, working together, 2 hours to dig out each of our cars.
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