Winter weather advisories, warnings in effect for parts of Illinois through Monday
Winter weather advisories were issued for parts of Illinois starting at 10 p.m. on Sunday and are expected to last until Monday afternoon.
A Blizzard Warning was issued from 10 p.m. Sunday to 1 p.m. Monday for McHenry and DeKalb counties in Illinois, where wind gusts of around 50 mph are likely between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m.
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Boone, Lee, Ogle, and Winnebago counties, including Rockford, which is in effect on Sunday and will last until 1 p.m. Monday.
A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect for Lake, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, and LaSalle counties beginning at 10 p.m. Sunday and continuing until 1 p.m. Monday. Cook, Grundy, and Will counties will be under advisory from 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday. A separate advisory is in effect for northern LaPorte County and parts farther east in northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.
Accumulations will be highest near the Wisconsin state line, between 4 and 6 inches there. For Chicago, 1 to 3 inches is possible.
Chief Meteorologist Albert Ramon said that gusty winds will create blowing snow and reduced visibility to possible whiteout conditions. Blizzard-type conditions are possible at times in northwestern Cook and Lake County, IL, too, due to extreme winds.
The Department of Streets and Sanitation said crews will be out overnight and 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.
What to expect during Monday's winter weather
Monday Morning
The worst travel conditions are expected during the morning commute, especially northwest of Chicago.
Blowing and drifting snow could significantly reduce visibility 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.
