The Chicago area is about to be hit with several blasts of wintry weather, and several factors could make Tuesday’s storm particularly hazardous for travel.
“Plan for much longer commute times. Consider postponing travel if you have flexibility,” the National Weather Service said in a statement.
Winter weather advisories are currently in effect for the entire Chicago area, with a winter storm watch also issued for McHenry and DeKalb counties.
Those two counties could see the worst of the snow, with six or more inches of accumulation possible by the time all is said and done on Tuesday night.
The rest of the area meanwhile could see 2-to-6 inches of snow, with most of the accumulations occurring late Monday and into Tuesday morning.
You can get a full rundown of the snowfall timeline here.
While the accumulations are certainly higher than what we’ve seen so far this winter, there are other factors at play that could make it treacherous to travel. The snowfall rates are expected to be particularly heavy, with model guidance from the NBC 5 Storm Team and the National Weather Service suggesting that 1-to-2 inches of snow could fall per hour.
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Even with snowplows active across the area, that level of snowfall will make it difficult to keep streets clear, and visibility will also be heavily impacted, making for a dangerous combination of factors.
The heaviest snow is expected to occur in the hours before daybreak, meaning that crews will likely still be trying to clear roadways as the morning commute gets underway.
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Additional snow is expected to fall across the area, albeit with far heavier accumulations in the western and northern suburbs of Chicago. Areas to the east of Interstate 55 could potentially see lighter snow or even rain during the afternoon, but the travel impacts will still be present as the evening approaches.
That’s because wind gusts are expected to kick up throughout the day, exceeding 30 miles per hour by the time the sun sets. That will cause any falling snow to obscure visibility, and could also cause freezing issues on untreated roads and elevated surfaces.
That wind is expected to continue into Wednesday, with light snow also expected in the evening hours as the wintry weather continues.
For those unable to postpone travel on Tuesday and into Wednesday, IDOT’s website has a road tracker, and you can also call 511 for traffic information.
NWS urges motorists to pack an emergency supply kit, including a cellphone, charger, batteries, blankets, a flashlight, first-aid kit, non-perishable food, candles to melt snow, and a sack of sand or cat litter for tire traction.
Be sure to have a shovel and an ice scraper as well, and battery booster cables. Check all fluid levels, your windshield wipers and your battery before driving.
