Weather Update

Lake County IL Winter Storm Watch                                       

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 2:45 p.m.

Emergency Management Partner Update

Lake County and surrounding areas are facing the first significant storm event for the winter season, with rain beginning as early as this evening, then winds increasing winds, falling temperatures, and rain changing to snow on Thursday. The National Weather Service (NWS) has expanded the Winter Storm Watch to include Lake County, and that watch will be in effect from 6:00 p.m. on Thursday through 6:00 a.m. on Friday.

Lake County Emergency Management is continuing to monitor this evolving situation, and remains in contact with our partners at the National Weather Service, Lake County SKYWARN, and the Lake County Division of Transportation. While the overall forecast for this storm has been consistent for several days, slight changes in the timing or track of the low pressure system could mean actual snow amounts or timing of the transition to snow may be different than forecast. While only a relatively small accumulation of snow is expected across Lake County, there is concern that the combination of very strong winds, quickly falling temperatures, and the likelihood for a few hours of very intense snowfall could have greater impacts on traffic than might be expected from other snow events of similar accumulation.

The most recent forecast discussion from the NWS suggests that a swath of intense snow, with snowfall rates of up to two inches per hour, will move from west to east across the region late Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening. This band of intense snow is not expected in Lake County before the evening commute on Thursday, but travel impacts could begin during the evening commute, particularly along the western portion of the county. Sustained winds over 30mph with gusts over 50mph are expected from Thursday afternoon into Friday morning, and could lead to isolated property damage or power outages. Commuters and anyone considering travel Thursday evening should plan ahead, allow extra time, make sure they and their vehicles are appropriately prepared for winter weather, and monitor updated weather information during the day Thursday. The Lake County Division of Transportation's PASSAGE system, on the web at http://www.LakeCountyPassage.com, is a valuable source of up-to-the-minute road and travel information in Lake County. At the PASSAGE website, users are able to sign up for email alerts customized to specific travel routes, and Android and I-Phone mobile device applications are available to report incidents directly to PASSAGE.

Below is the most recent version of the NWS Winter Storm Watch for Lake County and surrounding areas. Updated information can be found at the NWS Chicago website http://www.weather.gov/Chicago:

* * * * *

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 6:00 PM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH

6:00 AM FRIDAY MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM

WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE

THURSDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING...RAIN WILL CHANGE TO WET SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST LATE

  THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY EVENING...POSSIBLY HEAVY AT

  TIMES...LINGERING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. STRONG WINDS WILL

  DEVELOP LATER THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THURSDAY NIGHT.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION: CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT TOTALS OF 2 TO 6

  INCHES ARE LIKELY...WITH THE HIGHER AMOUNTS MORE FAVORED TO BE

  IN THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST SUBURBS OF CHICAGO.

* WIND: WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHWEST AND INCREASE TO 30 TO 40 MPH

  BY LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THURSDAY NIGHT WITH

  GUSTS TO 50 TO 60 MPH PROBABLE.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF THE SNOW AND VERY STRONG WINDS WILL

  RESULT IN GREATLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND POSSIBLY NEAR

  BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. FALLING TEMPERATURES WILL CAUSE ROADS TO

  BECOME SNOW COVERED AND TRAVEL TREACHEROUS. THIS WILL LIKELY

  IMPACT THE LATTER PORTION OF THE EVENING RUSH HOUR. THE STRONG

  WINDS MAY ALSO RESULT IN MINOR DAMAGE AND SPORADIC POWER

  OUTAGES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT

SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.

CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

* * * * *

Lake County Departments and Agencies will continue to monitor this evolving weather situation. Lake County Emergency Management (LCEMA) is prepared to help partner units of local government through resource coordination and information updates as needed. As always, LCEMA staff can be reached at 847-377-7100 during normal business hours.

If the forecast changes significantly, an additional update may be provided on Thursday morning, between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Kent

C. Kent McKenzie, CEM^®   Emergency Management Coordinator   Lake County Illinois EMA       Office 847-377-7100

Fax 847-377-7015

Desk 847-377-7025   Mobile 224-321-4246

24-hr Dispatch 847-549-5200   KM8A     http://www.lakecountyil.gov 
kmckenzie@lakecountyil.gov