Winter weather advisories, blizzard warnings in effect for parts of Illinois Monday
Winter weather slammed the Chicago area early Monday morning, with blizzard warnings in effect for some outlying areas.
A Blizzard Warning is in effect until 1 p.m. Monday for McHenry and DeKalb counties in Illinois, where wind gusts of around 50 mph are likely until 6 a.m.
The blizzard warning until 1 p.m. also affects north central northwest, and western Illinois — including Rockford, Freeport, and Dixon. Another blizzard warning is in effect until 4 p.m. for most of Wisconsin, including Milwaukee and Madison. Kenosha County, Wisconsin, closest to the Chicago area, is also under a blizzard warning.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 1 p.m. Monday for Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle Grundy, and Will counties. A separate advisory is in effect for northern LaPorte County and parts farther east in northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.
Heavy snow continues northwest of Chicago with snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour and wind gusts up to 45 mph, creating near-whiteout conditions at times.
Additional accumulations of 4 to 9 inches are possible in the hardest-hit areas before snow begins tapering after sunrise.
Closer to Chicago, snow is expected to redevelop early this morning with 1 to 4 inches possible, though strong winds will still reduce visibility and make travel hazardous.
The Department of Streets and Sanitation said crews will be out through Monday morning, monitoring arterial streets, DuSable Lake Shore Drive, bridges, and overpasses to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles, public transportation, and other travelers.
Snow should end by 10 a.m., but gusty northwest winds will continue through the day, making temperatures in the 20s feel like the single digits.
The core of the cold settles in tonight with wind chill values as low as -10 degrees by Tuesday morning. Temperatures moderate for the rest of the week.
What to expect during Monday's winter weather
Monday Morning
The worst travel conditions are expected during the morning commute, especially northwest of Chicago.
As of 5 a.m., conditions on Chicago roadways were already extremely poor — especially in outlying areas. Little to no visibility was also reported in some areas.
On top of the snow, some streets and roadways were flooded from the rain that fell during storms Sunday night, and a glaze of ice was a concern in some areas. Side streets were covered in puddles of water in particular.
Blowing and drifting snow could continue to reduce visibility significantly and create slick roads. For Chicago, we're under a winter weather advisory for the threat of accumulating snow, slick travel, and reduced visibility.
Monday Afternoon
Steadier snow should taper off, but scattered snow showers or brief squalls may still develop, which could lead to localized bursts of reduced visibility and slick travel.
Even though snowfall totals may not be extreme everywhere, the combination of accumulating snow and very strong winds will likely create the biggest impacts, especially overnight and during the Monday morning commute.
Snow disrupts flights at Chicago airports
The snow was snagging the schedules at O'Hare and Midway international airports Monday morning.
A light dusting was seen on the planes at O'Hare in the early-morning hours.
As of 5 a.m., a total of 342 cancellations and more than 60 delays were reported at O'Hare.
A total of 23 delays and 21 cancellations were reported at Midway.