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Heavy Rainfall and Severe Thunderstorms in the Midwest and Southwest; Heat Continues in the Southern U.S.

Heavy to excessive rainfall could bring flooding today through Thursday across parts of the central Plains into the Midwest and southern Arizona and New Mexico. Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms may impact parts of eastern Nebraska into western Iowa later today into early evening. Heat Advisories remain in place across much of east Texas into the mid-Mississippi Valley today and Tuesday. Read More >

An area of moderate to heavy snow moved northeastward across northern Illinois and far northwest Indiana during the late afternoon and early evening of Tuesday, December 29th. Snowfall rates of 1" to locally 2" per hour were observed this this band of snow. By mid-evening, warming temperatures aloft resulted in the precipitation mixing with sleet and rain before changing over to all rain for much of north-central and northeast Illinois by late in the evening. Air temperatures remained below freezing for several hours after the switch to rain, resulting in ice accumulations of 0.1"-0.2" for much of northeast Illinois late Tuesday evening into early Wednesday morning.

This was the first significant winter precipitation event this season for most of the NWS Chicago forecast area with the exception of locations near the Wisconsin state line. The high snowfall rates during the late afternoon and evening resulted in major travel disruptions across northern Illinois and the Chicago metro.

 
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