The entire Chicago area was under a winter storm warning Friday, with some counties already seeing heavy and wet “bursts” of snow as a powerful winter snowstorm began to take hold across all of Northeastern Illinois and Northwest Indiana.
Editor's Note: We're tracking the winter storm all day. You can find the latest weather updates in our winter storm live blog here.
A winter snowstorm pummeled the Chicago area Friday morning, with heavy, wet snow and winds gusting as high as 40 miles per hour.
Some of the most dire conditions of the morning were to West of the city, where multiple inches of snow, strong winds and low visibility resulted in multiple crashes and power outages during the morning commute.
At one point Friday morning, the winds were so strong, NBC 5 reporter Lisa Chavarria nearly blew over during a live hit.
"I'm literally having to ground myself here," Chavarria said, as she had to physically balance herself from getting blown out onto the road. "That's how strong this wind is out here."
Although lull in the precipitation was expected Friday afternoon, more snow, or rain for some parts was expected ahead of the Friday evening commute.
With that round, areas north and northwest of Chicago are likely to see the biggest impacts, with up to 6 inches of additional accumulation still possible, combined with dangerous wind gusts of up to 45 mph.
Local
Several counties remain under a winter storm warning through Saturday, including McHenry, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Lake, and northern and central Cook counties. The warning remains in effect until noon Saturday and warns of 3 to 5 inches of additional accumulation expected.
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The conditions could again make travel dangerous across the area, regardless of snow totals, with high winds likely leading to blowing snow and dropping temperatures potentially making for icy roads in some spots.
According to the National Weather Service, the greatest travel impacts will be through the early evening hours "primarily for areas north of I-80."
The NWS warned travelers to expect "downright dangerous travel conditions" across much of the area, especially in Northern Illinois during the morning and evening commutes as the snow continues to ramp up.
Other parts of the Chicago area will be under a winter weather advisory, particularly for areas south of Chicago and in northwest Indiana.
LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy, southern Cook and Will counties in Illinois will be under a winter weather advisory through noon Saturday. The advisory also takes effect in Kankakee County in Illinois and Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties in northwest Indiana.
"Plan on slippery road conditions. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility," the alert warned.
Latest information on the Chicago snowstorm
You can find our latest stories on the Chicago snowstorm below:
- Live snow radar map: Track weather near you as storm snarls Chicago area
- Illinois winter road conditions: Buses rerouted, crashes reported and more
- Power outages: Tens of thousands of ComEd customers without power amid winter storm
- Flights canceled: Ground delay at O'Hare, thousands of flights canceled across Chicago airports
- School closures: More than 100 schools closed across Illinois
The NBC 5 Storm Team is tracking this forecast as it develops. Stay tuned for updates as each system approaches.
