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December 11, 2000 — The Arctic blast that made its slow descent from Canada into the United States over the weekend, brought punishing winds, sub-zero wind chill temperatures to the Midwest and heavy snow that forced the shut down of Chicago's O'Hare Airport on Monday. By the time the air mass moves to the Mid-Atlantic region on Thursday, NOAA forecasters said it will not be as cold but still bring the potential for snow and freezing rain. (Click image for larger view.)

Forecasters also said Wednesday it will bring a second round of Arctic air to Montana and Wyoming, the gateway to this first cold episode.

Dave Reynolds, a forecaster at the National Weather Service's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, in Camp Springs, Md., said "the tricky issue is tracking the cold front as it heads east." He said the precipitation could start as snow on Thursday, then change over to freezing rain. "The timing is critical," Reynolds said, adding the high temperatures will be five-to-10 degrees below normal once the front moves into the Mid-Atlantic region.

On Monday, blizzard warnings, and as much as a foot of snow, blanketed much of the Midwest including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. The snow was pushed by 30 mph winds, that plunged the wind chill temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero in some areas. The cold air even moved as far south as Texas, where Wichita Falls reported a wind chill reading of 3 degrees.

"This situation in the Midwest is deteriorating," said Paul Dailey, the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service's Chicago Forecast Office. "Once the snow ends by Tuesday, it will leave a solid cover because the temperatures will remain very cold," he added. This is the heaviest amount of snow in Chicago since 21 inches fell in early January 1999.

The latest forecast from NOAA's National Weather Service calls for heavy snow from southeast Nebraska, Michigan to western New York on Monday night. The cold air will continue to press into Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Arkansas and Texas. For the rest of the week, below normal temperatures are expected for the northern half of the country from Dec. 16 to Christmas Eve. The threat for heavy lake effect snows for the Great Lakes region on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17 are also expected. In northwest Indiana and areas of southwest Michigan, between 12 and 18 inches of snow are expected by Tuesday evening.

In Chicago, meteorologist Dailey is giving officials constant updates on the developing weather. "The homeless and elderly are at great risk in this kind of weather," he said. "The Chicago Forecast Office is on top of things, as are the Chicago city officials."

Retired Brig. Gen. Jack Kelly, director of NOAA's National Weather Service, said the cold outbreak is a preview for the rest of the winter that officially starts Dec. 21. "In the U.S., we are returning to a more normal winter, compared to the past three," he said, adding caution for Americans to stay tuned to weather forecasts.

Relevant Web Sites
The following National Weather Service Web sites are available to provide up-to-the-minute winter weather information.

Current winter storm watches, warnings and temperatures across the United States

National forecasts that extend from three to 14 days in advance

Winter weather safety and preparedness tips to handle snow, ice, wind and bitter cold temperatures

Map showing the expected extent of the Arctic air over the United States

NOAA's Weather Page — includes latest satellite images and weather maps

NOAA's National Weather Service Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services

NOAA's National Weather Service's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center

NOAA ISSUES NATION'S OFFICIAL WINTER OUTLOOK

NOAA Weather Radio

Media Contacts:
Curtis Carey or John Leslie, NOAA's National Weather Service, (301) 713-0622