Alicia Roman has the latest forecast.
January in Chicago is finally living up to its hype, with a cold and snowy weekend on the way, beginning with a period of "wind whipped snow" late Friday morning.
According to the National Weather Service, a "period of wind whipped snow" is expected to develop later Friday morning, with a "burst" of heavy snow possible between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the NBC 5 Storm Team adds.
Additionally, wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour could lead to blowing snow, low visibility and potentially hazardous travel conditions, the NWS says. High temperatures are expected to remain in the mid 30s.
In terms of accumulation, Friday's accumulation is predicted to leave a snow coating of up to an inch.
Saturday
Though Saturday morning is expected to remain dry, a system moving in from eastern Iowa is predicted to bring scattered snow showers to the Chicago area around 2 p.m., with the city's western suburbs, including DuPage county, likely seeing snow a bit earlier.
By around Saturday afternoon and continuing overnight, heavier snow is expected to make its way into the region, particularly in areas north of Interstate 80, including Lake, DuPage, Kendall, Kane and northern Cook counties.
Local
Some areas on the southern end of the system could see mixed precipitation or even rain, as temperatures are likely to hover around the freezing mark south of Interstate 80.
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Expected Snow Totals
Saturday into early Sunday, anywhere between three to five inches of snow could fall across far northern Illinois, with locally-heavier totals possible in some locations.
However, while some snow showers may linger, Sunday is expected to remain mostly dry.
Additionally, temperatures are expected to drop, with highs reaching only into the upper 20s and falling in the days following the storm.
