The Chicago area is bracing for a winter storm to arrive, and while the worst of the weather is expected in the afternoon and evening, the morning commute could be just as nasty.
According to the National Weather Service, the storm is expected to begin impacting the area late Thursday and into Friday morning, but around daybreak, bursts of wet snow are expected across a wide swath of the state.
Snowfall rates could be heavy at times, with 1-to-2 inches of accumulation per hour, and as a result travel could become hazardous thanks to slippery road conditions and reduced visibility.
The snow is expected to be especially heavy north of US-24, and could impact the commute in the southwest suburbs and in areas north and west of Chicago.
After the sun comes up, that snow is expected to switch over to rain in the southern suburbs, but travel issues are still possible thanks to the heavy precipitation across the region.
The afternoon commute could end up being even worse, with heavy snow expected north of Interstate 80 and with winds picking up in intensity, gusting up to 50 miles per hour in some locations.
Blizzard conditions are possible during the afternoon and evening, and the National Weather Service warns that travel could be “very difficult to impossible” during that time.
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