Feb. 03--The center of a winter storm followed a northeastward track through northern Illinois on Tuesday, keeping the Chicago area well to the south of the associated band that dropped 10 to 12 inches of blowing/drifting snow over western Nebraska, northern Iowa, southern Minnesota and central and northern Wisconsin.
Northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana experienced a bit of sleet and chilling easterly winds gusting over 35 mph, but rain was the big factor, with many areas receiving an inch or more. Thunderstorm downpours triggered a flood advisory south of the city in the vicinity of Interstates 55 and 80, where late afternoon/early evening storms repeatedly passed over the same general locations, causing localized flooding.
In portions of the Deep South, tornadoes developed during the late afternoon. East-central Mississippi appeared to be hardest hit, with eight tornado sightings and extensive damage reports, including a high school building in Lauderdale.
As the storm system pulls away into the Canadian Ontario province Wednesday, winds here will gradually swing around to the northwest, steering colder air into the Chicago area.
