Chicagoans prepare for messy Friday commutes as heavy snow approaches

Heavy snow on Friday could affect both the morning and afternoon commutes, and drag into a multi-day event.

Look around and you'll find the piles of snow still haven't melted from the last snowstorm that hit Chicago on Sunday, with more snow expected on Friday.

Unlike that accumulation from Sunday, the incoming snow could hit at a crucial time, with snow squalls expected during both the morning and evening commutes.

Thursday afternoon, Metra commuters made a run for rides home, finding trains on time, even after warnings of possible delays. The Southwest Service, Heritage Corridor, and BNSF lines were affected Thursday morning after an Amtrak switch and signal problem at Union Station on Wednesday evening.

It was something Malik Nasan, of Oak Lawn, worried about on the ride to Union Station on Thursday afternoon.

"My class is at 2 o'clock, and the train I take is at 1:30. So I had to, like, make sure that it was on time and I got there all right," he said.

He doesn't take Metra daily but knows it's more likely to be affected by forecasted snow.

"With snow on the tracks and everything, it gets worse," he said.

The Illinois Department of Transportation said it's too early to know where expressways and other state roads will be most affected, but crews have been preparing their trucks, ready to roll overnight if needed.

IDOT warned snow plow drivers have seen several people collide with their trucks this winter, with eight plow collisions on Sunday alone, a situation that is dangerous and time-consuming, requiring them to pull a snow plow out of service for a full inspection

"These are heavy vehicles with limited sightlines: You might see them, but they might not see you," IDOT spokesperson Maria Castaneda said.

Another round of snow is expected on Saturday, but it will be much lighter and taper off by afternoon.