11/30/08 Northern Illinois Snowstorm

Wide-angle view of the entrance to Castle Drive

Tonight, I arrived in Dekalb, IL amidst an on-going winter storm that had just dropped 3 inches on Dekalb with more very heavy 'banding' taking place. Route 38 was a mess as outside Creston, IL I was stopped for a good half hour as a tow truck worked to pull out 2 vehicles out of the ditch. That took place when the snow was really coming down around 6:30pm or so.

Davis Hall amidst the heavy wet snow

I had just arrived in Dekalb...I think this picture tells the story at that time huh?

Behind Davis Hall...nice scene with 'untouched snow'

Altgeld Hall winter scene

The Escape's first snowstorm

Myself posing for a quick photo and doing my best impersonation of Jim Cantore...well without the baldness of course

The East Lagoon a tad frozen with a 'frosty' look and the city lights providing the 'glow'

At last we have our first inch or snow and well more then that...looks like Dekalb will end up with around 4-6 inches of the white stuff before the storm system pulls on out...you got to love 'phasing' if your a meteorologist or weather enthusiast.

11/30/08 Snowstorm

Holiday decorations taking a beating with the snow
and blustery northwest wind

Today, we officially have our 1st inch of snowfall across my hometown and much or Northern Illinois as a fairly slow-moving low-pressure system tracks along the Ohio River Valley throwing some moisture up and over the cold air setting up a deformation zone axis from Burlington, IA northeast to Milwaukee, WI. Snow started around 9:30 last night of the light-stuff, but occasionally you'd get a good moderate burst of snow here and there. The duration has been key with several hours of light snow falling allowing for accumulation on roads and grassy surfaces. Climatology, the 1st inch of snow is usually observed the first week of December across much of Northern Illinois so we are right on track this year according to the statistics. I snapped a few photos this morning before I made the trip back to Dekalb, IL after the holiday weekend. I felt like I was in a storm chase only chasing snow squalls on the 2-hour drive that turned into a 3 1/2 drive thanks to lots of poor soles not remembering how to drive in winter weather. Before I left home we had just around 3 inches and a few reports now of 5" inches of snow in Kewanee, IL. The snow is tapering off now in that area so I don't expect much of any additional accumulation there.

A little different from walking on a beach eh?

Looking toward the 'white' heavens

Well that's all for now...I did get out on campus in Dekalb, IL tonight for some more photography so I'll be updating with a "Part II" to this post shortly.