Here we go!

Found the snow showers. Right now they are located over the Mississippi River in a broad path extending from Wisconsin all the way down to St. Louis. These snow showers have developed along the eastern edge of the trough where some moisture along with cool air has done enough to produce that band of snow showers. This added with the rotation of the northern low is going to assure those snow showers do just fine. These are going to enter the region tonight and they will give us our first actual snow accumulations of the season in the region. In simple terms, between tonight and tomorrow in the Toledo area, about 2-4 inches will be likely. So winter is finally on the way. Now the weather will become much different over the next 12-hours.

Our first low pressure has become "absorbed" into the upper level flow. Our upper level trough is digging deep down into the Kansas area this morning, and though we're on the southwestern flow right now, that will change of the weekend. Our two low pressures are doing well this morning, the Texas low is heading off to New York City, while our northern low is deepening quickly over lower Michigan this morning.

Cold front is going to pass through the region later today, but it will pass at a very awkward time of the day when looking at the temperatures. The front is going to enter the western half of the region late this afternoon and into the evening hours. This means that we notice its passage at first because temperatures will already be falling in response to the setting sun...then the temperatures are going drop sharply this evening.

We're going to go with scattered rain showers in the western half of the region today, and most of those are going to be light and fairly scattered. Then we'll see a quick burst of rain showers in the west late this afternoon, and then the snow showers will enter the region. The accumulation of the snow will also be a little awkward as well. For those of who've been following the forecasts, you might have noticed that the totals have flipped back and forth between tonight and tomorrow. That isn't because of uncertainity, but only because the accumulations are sitting right between two forecast periods. So again, looking for modest totals in the western half of the region between tonight and tomorrow.

Winds are going to be on the increase tomorrow as well, as we could see gusts in the region upwards to 35-mph and maybe even 40-mph. This coupled with the cooler temperatures in the region will make sure that those windchills stay low.

Cold front will pass through the eastern half of the region late tonight, this will allow for cold air to pour over the lakes (this is also partially responsible for some of those snow showers in the west tonight because the same thing will happen over Lake Michigan) and that is going to kick up a lake effect snow event. Difference between surface and 850-mb temps are looking well, with the quick winds and the influx of the cooler air over the lake, looking like a lake effect event is likely tomorrow and tomorrow night. This event wont be like the one we saw two weeks ago, but it will be on that will be decent nonetheless.

Now the weekend we're going to watch that upper level trough/low pass fully through the region, allowing for deepening air into the region. Cool air with lows in the lower teens throughout the region. Clouds will hang around the region as well. Upper level trough exits the region, and then we're going to get ready for our next system - which wont be as strong. This next system is a little smaller than this one. I'll type a little bit about during the 7.30 a.m. update.

My extended forecasts will be revised again this morning at 7.30 a.m., mainly to adjust the snow fall totals and due some temp tweaking. I'll have a brief update coming up at that time as well. My next facebook update will be at 3.30 p.m. But for now, I am Timmy Albertsno and that's the weather! Keep checking back for updates because I'll have them for you as always.