SIGNIFICANT LAKE EFFECT SNOW POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
212 AM CST THU DEC 23 2010

COUNTY SPECIFIC MESSAGE:

...SIGNIFICANT LAKE EFFECT SNOW POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND...

COLD NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS BLOWING OVER THE RELATIVELY WARM
WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN COULD RESULT IN ACCUMULATING LAKE EFFECT
SNOW OVER NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA THIS WEEKEND.
LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS COULD BEGIN AS EARLY AS FRIDAY OR FRIDAY
NIGHT...BUT ARE MORE LIKELY TO BEGIN LATER SATURDAY AND LAST
THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT.

IT IS FAR TOO EARLY TO EVEN GUESS HOW MUCH SNOW COULD FALL...
HOWEVER...EARLY INDICATIONS ARE THAT PORTIONS OF THE CHICAGO AREA
OR NORTHWEST INDIANA WILL LIKELY RECEIVE ACCUMULATING LAKE EFFECT
SNOW. GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW TO LAST FOR A
PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME...THE POTENTIAL DOES EXIST FOR LOCALLY
SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL TOTALS.

WHILE IT IS TOO EARLY TO PINPOINT WHERE THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL
OCCUR...CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT EASTERN COOK AND EASTERN WILL
COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS...AND LAKE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST
INDIANA STAND THE GREATEST CHANCE AT SEEING ACCUMULATING LAKE
EFFECT SNOW. HOWEVER...IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT ONLY A
VERY SLIGHT SHIFT IN THE FORECAST WIND DIRECTION COULD RESULT IN A
SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN THE LOCATION OF THE GREATEST SNOWFALL. IN
ADDITION...THE NATURE OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWER OFTEN RESULT IN
WIDELY VARYING SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OVER RELATIVELY SHORT DISTANCES.

ANYONE WITH TRAVEL PLANS THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND IN THE IMMEDIATE
CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA...INCLUDING NORTHWEST INDIANA...SHOULD
CLOSELY MONITOR LATER FORECASTS REGARDING THE POTENTIAL FOR
ACCUMULATING LAKE EFFECT SNOW.