Suburbs see first snow of season
Snow fell Tuesday in some areas of the suburbs, and the season’s first hard freeze spelled the end for garden plants.
But the suburbs dodged any accumulation of snow, unlike some parts of western Illinois.
According to the National Weather Service, the Chicago area normally sees its first snow on Oct. 30.
The first measurable snow on average occurs on Nov. 16, according to the weather service.
“It’s not that uncommon to get a little bit of snow in October,” ABC 7 Meterologist Mike Kaplan said, “We were fortunate it warmed up just enough as the day went on. The Quad Cities got 2 inches on the ground.”
The storm system blew in from Alberta, Canada, and pushed its way through Iowa and other states, Kaplan said. However, it has passed and he doesn’t expect any measurable snowfall within the week.
The temperature sank to 30 degrees Tuesday morning at O’Hare International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The first freeze typically hits between Oct. 14 and Oct. 21, putting this year a little behind the average, the weather service reported.
After another expected freeze overnight, temperatures today are expected to climb to the mid-40s.
Kaplan and other meteorologists say it’s hard to predict what this winter will be like. Many factors are used to make long-term forecasts, including El Niño, El Nina and seasonal high and low pressure systems. Yet, none of these factors has given any obvious indication.
“At this point there is no real clear-cut signal,” Kaplan said. “No strong indicator one way or the other.”