Chicago - here we go again!
The season's first significant snowfall is predicted to dump as much as 3 - 6 inches in the city and suburbs through tomorrow, with snowfall predicted to begin early this afternoon. Sleet will fall initially, followed by all snow, before tapering off to snow flurries Monday afternoon.
Although the Indiana and Michigan Snow Belt, east of Chicago around the tip of Lake Michigan, has suffered through several four-inch-plus snowfalls so far this season, this storm is the first since last March to create accumulating snow throughout Chicago and the Illinois Suburbs. The heaviest accumulations will occur south of the city Sunday night.
In a bit of a coincidence, heavily-traveled main streets within the City of Chicago will ban overnight parking, between 3 and 7 AM, beginning tonight, through April 1st. The ban affects marked major thoroughfares across the city, and is in place REGARDLESS OF SNOW ACCUMULATION.
Said Mike Picardi, Chicago Commissioner of Streets & Sanitation, "We learned from past winter storms that there are several critical routes spanning the city that must be kept open at all times for emergency vehicles, buses and cars to get thorough."
According to Streets & San, cars parked illegally on major streets prevent plowing and salting curb-to-curb, and considerably restricts traffic by commuters and emergency vehicles alike. Cars need to be moved to legal parking spaces on residential side streets in advance of the ban in order to avoid an expensive ticket and tow.
Dozens of additional major and secondary streets throughout Chicago ban parking whenever measured snow is in excess of 2" deep, regardless of time of year - although such snowfalls, of course, coincide with the winter season.
This combination of winter parking restrictions comprise the Chicago Snow Route System. The plan was conceived over 40 years ago, in response to the record Chicago Blizzard of 1967, on January 26 of that year. The storm dumped in excess of 23" of snow on the city in a 24 hour period. Roads, expressways, and Lake Shore Drive were littered with abandoned cars during this fast-accumulating snow storm, making street clearing virtually impossible for days.
The system was tested in during January 12-14, 1979, when 20.3 inches of snow fell, adding to a 7-10" New Year's Eve accumulation. By the end of January, 1979, an estimated 47" of unmelted snow and compacted ice lay across Chicago, clogging both streets and CTA El Lines.
See our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com for more detail, and links to a summary of Chicago Winter Parking Restrictions on the City of Chicago Official Website - CityofChicago.org. See current Weather Predictions via CBS2Chicago.com, linking to the Chicago Sun-Times website.
DEAN MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
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