A winter storm watch will go into effect for 9 a.m. Wednesday for the entire Chicago area. Alicia Roman has more.
Residents in the city of Chicago could be faced with more than just hazardous travel on Wednesday as snow impacts the region.
According to the National Weather Service, a winter weather advisory has been issued for most of the Chicago area, including the city itself, ahead of a storm that could dump 4-to-6 inches of snow on the region Wednesday.
Most of the heavy accumulations will be observed near Lake Michigan, according to forecast models, with some parts of southeastern Wisconsin seeing even higher amounts of snow.
For Chicago residents, the snow is a good reminder of the city’s ordinances pertaining to snow removal, which can cost unwary motorists big bucks.
Regardless of any snowfall, parking is banned between Dec. 1 and April 1 on more than 100 miles of arterial streets from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., according to city officials.
Vehicles that violate that ordinance can be ticketed and towed regardless of whether there is any snow on the ground.
What’s more, an additional 500 miles of main streets are designated as snow routes, and carry their own penalties for cars parked along those roadways. Under city ordinance, any time there is a snowfall of two or more inches, cars on marked roadways can either be ticketed or towed, with fees associated with getting vehicles out of the city’s impound lots.
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Tickets start at $60, with a minimum towing fee of $150, according to the city. A storage fee of $25 per day is also assessed for towed vehicles.
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