Back From Wisconsin & Brought Back Some Snow With Me!

Sammy the Snowman with Anthony, Abbey, and Megan
in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

New Year's Eve Winter Storm Update

It is great to be home after snow-chasing and spending some great family time in Wisconsin. The snow chase was a success as Milwaukee rewrote the record books by experiencing its second snowiest December ever. I was in Oconomowoc, Wisconisn where 6.5 inches of snow blanketed the area on Friday. There were a few isolated 8 inch totals. The only thing keeping me from witnessing a foot of snow was the quick movement of the system. I enjoyed playing out in the snow with the kids and my nephew. We built a huge snowman you see above and you can see me on top of a 25 foot snow bank below. It was a fun storm that produced 4 hours of visibility reduced to a quarter-mile or less due to heavy snowfall. The snow piled up in a hurry! There was very little wind and it was a heavy packing snow which made it a blast to play in. I helped shovel out driveways and used a snowblower for the first time in my life!



Here at home we have an interesting low pressure coming through in time for the New Year. I think most of us will see 3 to 5 inches of snow. There will be a band of 5 to 8 inches of snow setting up and there is still some uncertainty on exactly where that band will set up. Looking at the latest satellites, radars, and model data I would favor the heaviest band of snow in extreme northern Indiana which may nip Pulaski and Fulton Counties. If you are heading toward Fort Wayne this seems to be the bullseye of the storm for Indiana. This storm will be rapidly deepening as it moves by our area, but because it is moving so quickly I will keep our viewing area in the lighter amounts at this time. But do not let the lower amounts fool you. By morning it could look like you are waking up to a blizzard with wind gusts of 40 mph along with blowing and drifting snow. Our roads will be slick and snow covered. This scene in Wisconsin could be repeated here at home by late tonight and New Year's Day.



I am concerned about all the folks traveling to New Year's Eve parties tonight or to family gatherings on Tuesday. If possible, I would try to stick closer to home and if you do not need to travel, by all means do not. It will be a good idea to stay home and heat up a cup of hot chocolate. Roads will be bad and wind chills will fall to near zero on New Year's Day. So it will not be the type of weather you will want to get stuck or stranded in. If you must travel, take extra blankets and your winter survival kit.

Our snow advisory in effect for tonight through 6 a.m. Tuesday may be extended as a Blowing & Drifting Snow Advisory on New Year's Day. I will not be back in the office until Wednesday, but will keep in touch with you here on the weather blog if I see any major changes to the forecast.

Happy New Year and it is a fitting end to 2007 which will go down as Lafayette's snowiest year on record! Enjoy the snow but please be safe so I can see you again on Wednesday!