Winter-like chill to open the day Wednesday

Tuesday’s cold front sent temps plummeting

High temperature reached the mid 50s late morning then fell throughout Tuesday afternoon

Tuesday’s relatively mild temperatures occurred in the late morning before readings tumbled throughout the afternoon

Tuesday highs—late season arctic air brought well below normal temperatures to much of the Plains and northern Rockies. A piece of that cold air arrives in Chicago Wednesday with daytime highs no warmer than the middle 40s, well below the typical low to mid-50s considered normal for this time of year

Much of the area received a soaking rain Monday night into Tuesday, but the heaviest totals were logged NW of Chicago

Gusty winds accompanied the cold frontal passage Tuesday 

Powerful wind gusts accompanied the gusty cold frontal showers that hit toward midday.

Peak wind gusts nearly reached 50 mph at Midway Airport just before midday   

Slow warming follows a Chilly Wednesday

Despite the lack of snowfall, March has been a wet month for both airports, especially at Midway Airport where the near 4″ tally is nearly 2.5 times the normal total to date

Snow piles up across the North Woods

More than 32% of the lower 48 under a covering of snow as of Tuesday evening

Updated Snowfall totals Sunday through Tuesday:

Total QPF next 7 days

Courtesy weathermodels.com

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