Chicago residents yearning for a snowy white Christmas are likely to get more than they hoped for, as meteorologists are looking at a possible “near blizzard,” with snow and subfreezing winds that could remind residents of the 2011 Groundhog’s Day blizzard.
The National Weather Service’s Chicago office on Monday released a forecast that predicted the strong possibility of snow, strong winds and cold air arriving ahead of Christmas.
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“Major storm system affecting the area Thursday through Saturday, with the most significant impacts from accumulating and blowing snow and very strong winds late Thursday afternoon into Friday night,” the weather service forecast stated.
Snow is expected to move in on Thursday, one of the busiest travel days of the year, with conditions worsening late Thursday into Friday. By Christmas Eve and Day, air temperatures are expected to be well below average with wind chills between -20 and -30 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Just how much snow the Chicago area could receive depends largely on the storm’s path, which could shift during the week, officials said.
“Worst case scenario is it could potentially rival the Groundhog Day blizzard of 2011,” said Kevin Birk, a weather service meteorologist, referring to the deadly February 2011 storm that dumped more than 20 inches of snow on Chicago. “It’s certainly a possibility that we’re watching closely, but that type of scenario isn’t necessarily set in stone yet.”
“The main uncertainty lies in how much snow we’ll actually get in the area we’ll see. It’s looking likely that we’re going to see some pretty good impacts from the system, whether it’s a lot of snow and blizzard-like conditions, or just a little bit of snow with some near-blizzard conditions at time,” Birk said.
The Chicago area hasn’t had more than 3 inches of snow during Christmas since Christmas week 2008, while the coldest recent Christmas was during 2000, when the wind chill was -17, according to the weather service.
Local roadway officials responsible for keeping area streets and expressways clear hadn’t responded to questions on snow preparation Monday morning.
Check back for updates.
