I feel like James Franco this morning. I’m here, but my head is not quite in it. The combo of allergies and a long vacation next week is making it hard to concentrate. Anyway...

Here comes the heavy rain again. I’m watching a trough of low pressure develop over the Rockies this morning and quickly move to the Plains today, pushing rain and a few strong storms ahead of it. Right now the rain is heavy over WI, IL and should fill into the rest of the area today. MI has a cold layer of air from about ground level to about 2,000’ feet up, and that means freezing rain for the afternoon as the rain falls through that column. Advisories are up, I’ll have that for you.

Flood warnings and watches are all over the map for the upcoming rain/snow melt event so that will be on the show too. The SE will get the rain tonight through the weekend, and the whole mass moves to the NE for the weekend too! I’ll have the forecast. The air travel for a get-away-Friday looks difficult from S. Louis to Chicago and over to Cleveland with the rainy weather in place, I’ll update you on the delays.

The West is finally drying out today, but I’m watching a big line of storms over Hawaii right now. The radar is all aglow as a cold front moves through the islands.

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Flood • Freezing rain • Rain • Weather

Here we go with the spring-like storms transitioning into winter-type weather. There is a strong cold front chugging through the MW right now, with tornado watches from TN to PA. The low-level jet stream, higher dew point temps, and upper level jet stream are all phasing to get severe weather to roll into TN, KY, and GA this afternoon. I’ll have the map.

It’s starting as freezing rain in the New England states, and freezing rain advisories are up for a good chink of the region. It should be all snow in Me, with around 5-10” falling today.

The fire weather calms down a bit for northern TX today as the wind dies down, but south TX will still see the dry and windy conditions today.

The NW is getting more action too, with snow on the Mountains and rain in the valleys.

As you can imagine, air travel delays will be long today with all the storms and snow. I’m forecasting at least 2 hour delays in NYC, an hour for ATL and Philly (at least). I’ll have the updates for you.

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Freezing rain • Severe Weather • Snow • Tornado • Weather

The power-house winter storm from the last few days has left the building. In it’s wake, there have been reports of over two feet of snow in IA and WI. Around a foot in OK and MO, and the same goes for New England. Chicago missed an all-time snow record set in 1967 by less than 3 inches! Midway got 20.9.

Well what about today? The cold arctic air is still around the eastern 2/3 of the country. Wind chill warnings and advisories extend down to TX from MT and WI. I’ll have those numbers.

As the arctic air sits in place, a new round of energy is heading for the Gulf coast from the Four-Corners region. This will produce snow, sleet, and freezing rain from South Texas to Mississippi. Houston will probably get about 2-4” of snow mixed with sleet, and that will extend into LA and MS. Unreal, right? I’ll show you the latest in the evolution of this new storm, the ‘Texas Tail-Kicker’, or the ‘Louisiana Lambaster’, or whatever. You can come up with one!

There is a new freezing rain advisory for parts of AL right now as well, but that should end later this morning as the temperatures rise above freezing.

The Dallas weather is interesting. For Super Bowl travel, Light snow comes in this afternoon, could get 1 inch. By Sunday the temps in north TX reach 50, so getting around won’t be as rough. Hopefully Rafer will have more of a peach color in his face by then, erasing the Mr. Snow Miser look he has now covering the big game.

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Freeze • Freezing rain • Sleet • Snow • Weather

Nine states with blizzard warnings, from OK to OH. I’ve seen plenty of winter storms in my meteorological life, but this one is pretty gnarly with many teeth. The storm itself is intensifying over southern TX. Heavy snow is stretching from north TX to MO at this moment, and Dallas seems to be right in the middle of the rain/snow line. I bet Big D gets 1-3” of snow and sleet right off the bat. The blizzard is slamming OKC, with 50 mph winds and heavy snow. 8-10” for you guys in central OK. The blizzard rocks into Chicago, with one to two feet on the ground by tomorrow morning. The wind will be intense, mainly overnight tonight. Detroit gets a foot and a half, but I’m very concerned with the Indianapolis forecast. It looks to me like a major ice storm will shape up, knocking out power for the region. If 1” of freezing rain falls, that could be devastating. I hope for the best around central IN.

The OH valley sees the snow and mix move in later today, on the heels of the snow that is currently heading through the NE. NYC gets about 2-4” today before it mixes in with sleet and freezing rain, all rain by tomorrow. Boston changes from snow to sleet but could still see 10” of both by Wednesday afternoon.

Air travel will be all but non-existent for MW cities, so check in advance.

That’s the quick look, check out the show for more.

Later!

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Blizzard • Freezing rain • Snow • Weather • Winter Storm Warning • Winter Weather Advisory

OK, it’s the relative calm before the storm. We are watching some rain in the SE right now, and some snow in the Upper MW. Today will be the best day to travel over the next four or five. Here is what is shaping up for the week:

A big round of energy is rounding a trough in CA. This will link up with a strong jet stream overhead in the SW, connect with some moisture over the South, and start blasting everybody with freezing rain, sleet, and snow from NM to Boston. At the height of the storm (Tuesday night to Wednesday), the winds will blow around 50 mph in IL and IN. There’s a blizzard watch for northern IL, including Chicago for that time period. Totals for Chicago look to be around a foot and a half of snow. Note here: the record snow fall for the city is 23.0 inches on Jan 26-27, 1967.

The exact path and evolution of the storm seems to be coming together, and the general trend looks like this: sleet, freezing rain starting in the SW today, with some snow in the upper MW. Places like KC and St. Louis transition into snow (about a foot and a half total) tonight and that moves to the NE by Wednesday. Watches and warnings are up for so many states I don’t even want to mention them here, but take a look for yourself on the map! I havn’t seen a storm like this for the MW in a few years. A 10” snow for Chicago occurs about once every three years, a 15” about once every 19 years. We’ll see how bad they get the boot. Good luck everybody! I’ll update the air travel forecast too, but some airlines are already working to re-schedule Chicago bound flights.

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Blizzard • Freezing rain • Rain • Severe Weather • Snow • Weather • Winter Storm Warning • Winter Weather Advisory

Here we go, another winter blast for the NE, and I’m watching for another storm to get going in the area Friday. I guess this is how the winter of ’10-’11 rolls! Air Travel, road travel, foot travel, horse travel… it will all be slow today. I can picture my old neighbors sweeping off the stoop with the curlers in, the cig in the mouth, and the moo-moo draped over saying “Bobby! Not again! Cough.”

Today’s storm is off the coast of Cape Hatteras, NC and is pushing the winter mix up to ME at the moment. There are all kinds of winter storm warnings for the Mid Atlantic and NE, but I think the warm air gets wrapped into this mess and turns everybody over to rain later today along the coast. NYC, Philly, Baltimore and DC have already changed from snow to freezing rain (which is worse) and they will switch to rain shortly. It should be all snow for northern NE, with about 5-10” for NH and VT, parts of ME.

Another weak cold front is spreading the snow across the MW, and rain in the Mid South/South. I’ll show you the radar. It’s pretty active.

The other big story west of the Rockies is the extremely cold air that is sliding down the upper Plains. Wind chills are approaching -30 F in ND and MN, and the temps will only budge slightly this afternoon.

Some more light rain is around the Pac. NW, but it’s not much. The flood warnings remain in parts of WA, OR, and ID. MT has a nice shot of snow heading through as well.

The rest of the country should be fine, with some morning fog in TX for air delays. I’ll have those too.

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Flood • Freezing rain • Snow • Weather

Nothing like starting out the week staying at a hotel because of snow! That’s what the Morning Express crew had to do last night. The storm didn’t disappoint, either. I took the pic above on my walk from the hotel to work. I’m watching this powerhouse move along the Gulf Coast, spreading lots of moisture northward into the cold air that is in place over the Mw, SE, and Mid Atlantic. It’s all snow right now in TN, North GA, NC, and SC. It’s mixing with sleet and freezing rain in the southern parts of the Carolinas, GA, and AL. The warnings are all around the region, and I’ll pinpoint the winter mess all morning for you. As you can imagine, delays at the SE airports will be plentiful.

There is another shot of snow in the Plains and the MW, too. MO, KS, IA, MN, IL, NE all getting some stuff as well as the Dallas area with some freezing drizzle.

That storm merges with the SE storm off the Mid Atlantic coast, and bombs into a major Nor’ easter Tuesday night and Wednesday. That means heavy snow back to DC, Baltimore, Philly, NYC, up to Boston. Watches are up for this area.

The rest of the country looks quiet, but flights will be affected for just about everybody due to the Atlanta weather. It’ll be a rough morning for everybody here, as the local doughnut/coffee shop downstairs is closed. We are already on edge, but with no java, forgettaboutit.

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Freezing rain • Snow • Weather

NYC’s demeanor may be turning a little darker. Growing up around the city, I can tell you it’s never been peaches ‘n cream. Once a toll booth attendant flipped me off because I gave the guy all ones. Remember the problems they had last week trying to clear the snow off the roads? Well a new storm moving in from the West will drop another 4-7” of snow tomorrow, so they are under a winter storm watch. Add to that Starbucks changing their logo and it could be mass hysteria.

Right now I’m watching some light rain and snow roll through the Mid Atlantic, and some decent rain in FL. I’ll have the radar for you, plus the latest air travel delays b/c of this stuff. Central and southern FL need rain, so this is great news.

Wind and snow is circulating around the Great Lakes, and the lake effect snow will crank in MI for the next 3 days. More on that later.

The rest of the country is quiet until you reach the PAC NW, where more snow and rain is affecting WA. Avalanche Warnings are still up for the Olympics and Cascades.

I just gave the Morning Express staff a heads up for Sunday. We may all be staying at the hotel connected to the building, since a good chance of snow or freezing rain is aiming at Atlanta. I just hope Rafer keeps his Bieber music down, those hotel walls are thin.

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Freezing rain • Rafer Weigel • Rain • Snow • Weather • Winter Storm Warning

*Meteorologist Bonnie Schneider is filling in for Bob Van Dillen today

If you’re up early to rush out for the big sales today, be sure to slow down on the way there if you’re in an area that may have black ice on the roads. Black ice is a thin layer of transparent ice that coats the roads, making them look wet and shiny but not necessarily frozen over. It’s very tough to see while driving, and even a small patch of black ice can cause your car to lose control.

The past few days brought snow and freezing rain to many places across the country. That means the moisture and cold air is already in place for black ice to form on this busy Friday after Thanksgiving. More freezing rain and snow is in the forecast today for much of the northern tier of the U.S.

Here are some black ice driving safety tips from Minnesota Department of Transportation:
• Be aware that black ice is almost invisible.
• Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and tunnels and in early morning when the air temperature is rising faster than the pavement temperature.
• Never brake while driving on ice. Applying pressure to your brakes while on ice will cause a vehicle to skid. Brake only during your approach.
• Keep your distance. The distance needed to stop on ice is twice as long as under normal driving circumstances. Keep at least a three-car distance from the vehicle directly in front of you.

Have a safe journey and happy shopping!

Meteorologist Bonnie Schneider
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Posted by: Meteorologist Bonnie Schneider
Filed under: Black ice • Freezing rain • Snow • Weather