Traveling for the holidays? You might need to wait a bit.
Light snow and freezing drizzle moved into the Chicago area Saturday. As temperatures fell during the evening hours, freezing rain was expected to form a glaze of ice on roadways, creating dangerous conditions for holiday travelers.
The National Weather Service predicted patchy, light freezing rain lingering in east central Illinois and northwest Indiana Saturday ahead of a "major storm system" set to move in overnight and into Sunday morning.
The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation had trucks out salting roadways overnight, but deployed more than 100 additional trucks early Sunday morning as snow began to fall in the area.
A winter storm warning was issued for McHenry, Kenosha and DeKalb Counties through 10 a.m. Sunday.
One weather model predicted up to seven inches of snow in the northwestern and western suburbs, according to the alert, but NBC Chicago's Cheryl Scott forecasts between one and four inches to fall in the area.
Snowy weather was expected to move out of the area by late Sunday morning, but light snow could fall during the evening hours.
The NWS said the system could produce the potential for accumulating snow, sleet and more freezing rain in the Chicago area and heavy rainfall and flooding in Indiana and areas south of Chicago.
Both O'Hare International Airport and Midway Airport were reporting travel delays Saturday due to the weather conditions and some flights were cancelled Sunday morning.
Sunday's storm affected travelers across the country as severe weather was complicating travel for the 95 million people that travel agency AAA estimates will fly or drive for the holiday. Nearly 2,300 flights had been delayed and 433 cancelled across the country on Sunday, according to aviation tracking website.
Local
The Illinois Department of Transportation issued an alert Saturday morning warning drivers to "take it slow on the roads" as freezing rain and a wintry mix were reported in many areas.
Illinois State Police responded to reports of multiple cars in ditches Saturday morning due to slick road conditions.
The weather service issued a winter storm advisory in effect Saturday evening for several counties.
Cold temperatures with wind chills below zero are expected to start Christmas week, with the potential for some snow Monday. Christmas Eve highs will stay in the upper-teens, with lows dropping into the single digits. Snow could return in time for Christmas Day.
