Storm dumps 16″ in Kansas, plows through Northeast today

Long Track Winter Storm

The weather maps leave little doubt it's winter in the Good Ole USA. A long tracking major winter storm has dumped up to 16 inches in Kansas, and it's snowing all the way to Boston and Maine.

Here's the preliminary snowfall map from the Topeka, Kan., National Weather Service as it was still snowing last night.

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Image: Topeka, Kansas NWS

So far Eskridge, Kan., southwest of Topeka, takes the Golden Shovel with a whopping 16 inches total.

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Eskridge [Wabaunsee Co, KS] COOP OBSERVER reports SNOW of 16.00 INCH at 7:00 AM CST -- 15.5 FELL IN 24 HOURS. SNOW DURATION 30 HOURS

What does 12 to 16 inch snowfall look like when you whip up 40 mph winds? Check out this photo Kathy Coleman shares with the Topeka NWS.

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Image: Kathy Coleman via Topeka, Kansas NWS

14 inches came down in Lawrence, Kan., with the storm. Here's what the winter's first "snow day" looks like at the University of Kansas.

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Sledding on KU Campus. Image: Luke Huttner University of Kansas.

Here's a look at snowfall totals coming in from Topeka, Kansas City, Mo., Des Moines, Iowa, and Chicago, where 6 inches has already fallen in much of the city and suburbs.

It was a tough walk getting into the Topeka NWS office today.

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Image: Topeka NWS

Here's the weather story from Chicago where slick roads are the norm.

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Image: Chicago NWS

I've worked my share of storms in Chicago with lake enhancement snowfall. A northeast wind that sends plumes of moisture of Lake Michigan adding to snowfall totals in the city.

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Image: Chicago NWS

32 States and counting

I count at least 32 states under wind chill advisories or winter storms warnings today. This is a monster long track system that's bringing winter weather to most of the eastern half of the nation. It's snowing heavily all the way to Boston and Maine today.

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Image: NOAA

Sub-zero tally reaches 36

Today is day 36 of sub-zero lows this winter at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Gotta be a top 10 winter right? Not yet.

Here's the count as of yesterday from the Twin Cities NWS.

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Image: Twin Cities NWS

We add a few more sub-zero mornings in the next week.

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Image: Weatherspark

There are still signs of a warm up ahead late next week and into the following week.

Hang in there!