[BeauDodson]

I figured I would start my own thread so that I could post photographs and the like.

This is my first snow chase :) Chose Peoria as ground zero. Hoping for the best.

We left Paducah last night around 8:30 p.m. Arrived in Peoria at 2:30 a.m.

Temperatures were in the 60s all the way to Mattoon. We didn't the rain until we got a few miles outside of that city. We saw several flashes of lightning. Thankfully the heavy rain was brief. We had light rain all the way to Peoria. The temperature was
63 in Mattoon and by the time we arrived in Peoria the temperature had fallen to 34 degrees! Winds were gusting out of the west...20-25 mph. This was with the band of thunderstorms.

It has been cloudy here all day. No precip has fallen since earlier this morning. We do not have anything on the ground here as of 4 p.m. You can see ice covered cars driving around. I believe they had more ice to our west last night.

The NWS has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the city of Peoria. There is also a parking ban for snow routes. A number of closings have already been announced for tomorrow.

Snowfall forecasts range from 8-12 inches. Different forecasters are calling for different amounts. Thundersnow is expected after midnight.

I believe the heaviest snow will fall between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. So it will be a late night :)

Sleet and freezing rain could be an issue. THere seems to be some disagreement on that issue.

I am staying at the Holiday Inn - right on the Illinois River - downtown Peoria.

Some photos

http://www.usawx.com/peoriamap.jpg
Peoria on the map

http://www.usawx.com/peoriaillinois01.jpg
Looking down the street from the hotel

http://www.usawx.com/peoriachurchbeforesnownov30.jpg
Down the street


http://www.usawx.com/beauinpeorianov30th.jpg
Waiting on the snow

http://www.usawx.com/peoriaholidayinndowntown.jpg
Hotel

http://www.usawx.com/peoriaholidayinn2.jpg
Outside the hotel before the snow and ice :)

http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/uploads/post-573-1164914925.jpg
Looking down from the hotel room

http://www.usawx.com/beauholidayinnnovmber30th2006.jpg
Set up and ready for the storm!

[BeauDodson]

Current Obs at 4 p.m.

KPIA 302154Z 01009G17KT 10SM OVC065 M04/M08 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP196 T10441083

4 PM (21) Nov 30 Temp 24.1 (-4.4) Dew Point 17.1 (-8.3) Pressure 30.1 (1019) N 1

[StormAtSea]

Let me get this straight. You traveled for this storm?

[dfuzz]

You are doing what I always said that I would do one day. Enjoy the snow and be careful driving.

[BeauDodson]

4 p.m. official forecast

Tonight: Periods of snow. Low around 24. Blustery, with a north northeast wind between 16 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches possible.

Friday: Periods of snow before noon. High near 30. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 22 to 25 mph decreasing to between 13 and 16 mph. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.


URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
335 PM CST THU NOV 30 2006

...FIRST MAJOR WINTER STORM OF THE SEASON BEGINNING TO IMPACT
ILLINOIS...

.A STRONG WINTER STORM SYSTEM IS NOW AFFECTING THE REGION.
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT ICING IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS...
BEFORE SNOW DEVELOPS LATE TONIGHT. 6 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW IS
EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF THE ILLINOIS
RIVER BASIN.

ILZ027>031-036-037-040-041-047-010200-
/O.CON.KILX.WS.W.0002.000000T0000Z-061201T1800Z/
KNOX-STARK-PEORIA-MARSHALL-WOODFORD-FULTON-TAZEWELL-SCHUYLER-
MASON-CASS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GALESBURG...PEORIA...HAVANA
335 PM CST THU NOV 30 2006

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM CST
FRIDAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM CST FRIDAY.

FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING ALONG AND WEST
OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER BASIN. ICE ACCUMULATIONS UP TO A QUARTER OF
INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE...BEFORE THE HEAVY SNOW BEGINS BETWEEN
BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 3 AM. WHEN THE SNOW BEGINS...IT WILL COME
DOWN UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR... CREATING ZERO VISIBILITY IN THE
SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES
WILL BE POSSIBLE BY THE TIME THE SNOW TAPERS OFF TOWARD MIDDAY
FRIDAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOW TOTALS WILL BE ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF
THE ILLINOIS RIVER BASIN. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE CONSIDERABLE
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

[Indystorm]

Will look forward to your reports tonight. The weenie in me wants to pull an all nighter with this since I might not have to go in to work in the morning due to weather conditions....although out east of you here my risk seems to be greater for zr and sleet than snow at present track of the storm.

[BeauDodson]

dfuzz, on Nov 30 2006, 05:49 PM, said:

You are doing what I always said that I would do one day. Enjoy the snow and be careful driving.

Good luck down there. I hope you keep your power.

[oldlogin]

ShadowAngel, on Nov 30 2006, 05:47 PM, said:

Current Obs at 4 p.m.

KPIA 302154Z 01009G17KT 10SM OVC065 M04/M08 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP196 T10441083

4 PM (21) Nov 30 Temp 24.1 (-4.4) Dew Point 17.1 (-8.3) Pressure 30.1 (1019) N 1

Way to go Beau: I admire your desire and dedication... I also admire the fact you can take some free time and follow your passion :thumbsup: ... Stick too it !!!!! Lookinf forward to the pics and reports.. Lets hope it hits you hard.....

[BeauDodson]

4:50 p.m.

Sleeet and freezing rain just started here in downtown Peoria.

[BeauDodson]

Good luck to everyone! Didn't realize how many lurkers and posters we had in the Midwest and Missouri Valley. :)

[Hoosier]

Indystorm, on Nov 30 2006, 05:49 PM, said:

Will look forward to your reports tonight. The weenie in me wants to pull an all nighter with this since I might not have to go in to work in the morning due to weather conditions....although out east of you here my risk seems to be greater for zr and sleet than snow at present track of the storm.

What are the roads like there? The disadvantage in me waiting until the last minute to leave is that I will be encountering icing along the way.

[capecod04]

I'm envious Beau.. Wish I could do that. Anyways, wouldn't Joliet have been a better place.. It's about an hour or so WSW of Chicago...

Tonight: Periods of snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 26. Windy, with a north northeast wind 15 to 20 mph increasing to between 25 and 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.

Friday: Periods of snow with widespread blowing snow, mainly before noon. The snow could be heavy at times. Temperature falling to around 27 by 5pm. Windy, with a north northwest wind between 20 and 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.

[Hoosier]

PSUPete, on Nov 30 2006, 05:49 PM, said:

Let me get this straight. You traveled for this storm?

Hey, I plan to do the same though I won't be traveling nearly as far as he did.

[mattmfm]

ShadowAngel, on Nov 30 2006, 05:46 PM, said:

I figured I would start my own thread so that I could post photographs and the like.

This is my first snow chase :) Chose Peoria as ground zero. Hoping for the best.

We left Paducah last night around 8:30 p.m. Arrived in Peoria at 2:30 a.m.

Temperatures were in the 60s all the way to Mattoon. We didn't the rain until we got a few miles outside of that city. We saw several flashes of lightning. Thankfully the heavy rain was brief. We had light rain all the way to Peoria. The temperature was
63 in Mattoon and by the time we arrived in Peoria the temperature had fallen to 34 degrees! Winds were gusting out of the west...20-25 mph. This was with the band of thunderstorms.

It has been cloudy here all day. No precip has fallen since earlier this morning. We do not have anything on the ground here as of 4 p.m. You can see ice covered cars driving around. I believe they had more ice to our west last night.

The NWS has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the city of Peoria. There is also a parking ban for snow routes. A number of closings have already been announced for tomorrow.

Snowfall forecasts range from 8-12 inches. Different forecasters are calling for different amounts. Thundersnow is expected after midnight.

I believe the heaviest snow will fall between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. So it will be a late night :)

Sleet and freezing rain could be an issue. THere seems to be some disagreement on that issue.

I am staying at the Holiday Inn - right on the Illinois River - downtown Peoria.

Some photos

http://www.usawx.com/peoriamap.jpg
Peoria on the map

http://www.usawx.com/peoriaillinois01.jpg
Looking down the street from the hotel

http://www.usawx.com/peoriachurchbeforesnownov30.jpg
Down the street
http://www.usawx.com/beauinpeorianov30th.jpg
Waiting on the snow

http://www.usawx.com/peoriaholidayinndowntown.jpg
Hotel

http://www.usawx.com/peoriaholidayinn2.jpg
Outside the hotel before the snow and ice :)

http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/uploads/post-573-1164914925.jpg
Looking down from the hotel room

http://www.usawx.com/beauholidayinnnovmber30th2006.jpg
Set up and ready for the storm!

Quite the setup for 6" of snow! Enjoy it though! :snowman:

[Indystorm]

PSUPete, on Nov 30 2006, 06:49 PM, said:

Let me get this straight. You traveled for this storm?

Well, I know of at least two other people that planned to travel from the Lafayette to Kankakee and Chicago areas just to experience this storm. It's not all tornado chasing, ya know! :rolleyes:

[MdWx]

Beau, adopt me.

[ACFD E101]

I didn't see any beer in your hotel room? :drunk:

[Ian]

PSUPete, on Nov 30 2006, 05:49 PM, said:

Let me get this straight. You traveled for this storm?

It's cool how little we change over the years.

[BeauDodson]

capecod04, on Nov 30 2006, 05:54 PM, said:

I'm envious Beau.. Wish I could do that. Anyways, wouldn't Joliet have been a better place.. It's about an hour or so WSW of Chicago...

Tonight: Periods of snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 26. Windy, with a north northeast wind 15 to 20 mph increasing to between 25 and 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.

Friday: Periods of snow with widespread blowing snow, mainly before noon. The snow could be heavy at times. Temperature falling to around 27 by 5pm. Windy, with a north northwest wind between 20 and 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.

There certainly could be better spots. It is a gamble. I don't want to travel toooo much further. It is already going to take forever to get back home. A 5 hour drive will prob turn into a 9 hour drive. :) Hoping to get home by Saturday.

I am gambling on this area. Had to pick somewhere! Someone said Peoria could get in the dry slot for a bit of tomorrow. Hopefully not. I was banking on the storm behind slightly further east/southeast.

[capecod04]

mattmfm, on Nov 30 2006, 05:56 PM, said:

Quite the setup for 6" of snow! Enjoy it though! :snowman:

Open mouth insert foot again Matt??

Tonight: Periods of snow. Low around 24. Blustery, with a north northeast wind between 16 and 24 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches possible.

Friday: Periods of snow before noon. High near 30. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 21 to 24 mph decreasing to between 13 and 16 mph. Winds could gust as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.