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Winter Weather Advisory Expands, Now Covers All of Northern Illinois, NW Indiana – NBC Chicago

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The National Weather Service has expanded an existing winter weather advisory for all of northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, with snow expected to snarl traffic during the morning commute in most locations.

According to the latest guidance, the advisory will take effect at various times throughout the area, with anywhere from 1-to-6 inches of snow possible by Wednesday evening, with parts of central Illinois and central Indiana seeing the heaviest accumulations.

The new advisory will take effect at midnight in LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy, southern Cook, Will and Kankakee counties in Illinois, as well as Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana.

The Illinois counties will remain under that advisory until 6 p.m., as will Newton and Jasper counties, according to the alert. Areas closer to Lake Michigan, including Lake and Porter counties in Indiana, will remain under the advisory until midnight Thursday.

While exact snowfall predictions are still being dialed in, the National weather Service says that the highest accumulations will likely occur in central Illinois and in Indiana, with Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties potentially seeing 3-to-6 inches of snow, with some locally-higher totals possible.

In Illinois, areas south of Interstate 80 could see between 2-to-4 inches of accumulation, with the morning commute being largely impacted by the snowfall.

Lake and DuPage counties, as well as north and central Cook County, will go under the advisory at 3 a.m. and will remain under the advisory until 9 p.m.

Those areas closer to the lake could see slightly-larger accumulations, with 2-to-4 inches of snow possible.

Finally, McHenry, DeKalb and Kane counties will be under an advisory from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. Those counties should see less-intense accumulations, but road conditions Wednesday morning could still be hazardous.

The Wednesday snowfall is the first of several disturbances that could bring wintry weather to the area, with another clipper system expected to arrive Friday and several more rounds of snow possible on Saturday and into Sunday, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.

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Chicago weather forecast: After several inches of snow accumulation from winter storm, deep freeze moves in across area

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Bitterly cold temperatures have moved in Friday across the Chicago area following a winter snow storm.

Across the city and downtown Friday, people are bracing for the frigid temperatures, with some shoveling the snow that came Thursday night.

Wind chills Friday morning reached as low as -40 in some areas and air temperatures below zero. The cold is forecast to continue with wind chills staying well below zero through the day.

School Closings: See Full List

The snow moved in Thursday and punished the Chicago area into the evening hours. Now we are left with high winds and bitter cold.

Hundreds of flight cancellations at O’Hare, Midway airports again Friday with brutal cold

Some suburbs saw several inches of snow accumulation Friday.

Snow Totals

Streator: 2.5 inches

Romeoville: 2.5 inches

Elmhurst: 2.3 inches

Peotone: 2.3 inches

St. Charles 2 inches

Downtown: 2 inches

The brutal cold comes with many dangers any skin that is visible to the air could get frostbite very quickly.

Latest 7-day Chicago weather forecast

The weather is still creating hazardous conditions on Chicago area roadways, with ice and blowing snow.

In northwest Indiana, Indiana State Police Sergeant Glen Fifield said lanes of I-65 were blocked over the I-94 overpass because trucks couldn’t get up over the incline. INDOT workers arrived with sand and trucks were then able to make it up the incline.

Fifield said roads there had very poor visibility with dozens of crash overnight.

Indiana State Police say crews will remain out on the roads through the evening hours to make sure drivers get to their destinations safely.

In the south suburbs, some drivers said the roads are actually pretty easy to drive on right because they’re so little traffic.

There are some icy spots along the way where people say they’re taking it slow, but for the most part those snow plows have cleared the way for drivers.

Mike Machi has been braving this entire storm in a trip from Boston to Milwaukee and things got a little dicey for him last night.

“I was gonna push through last night and I was like I can’t see,” Machi said. “The wind with the weather change I couldn’t see so I just parked it at a hotel for the night. I’ll finish the trip when I can see and it’s still bad out there with the wind.”

So drivers will continue to deal with those high winds throughout the day

Chicago warming centers available at 6 locations across city

IDOT spokesperson Maria Castaneda said while most of the snow has been cleared from expressways, the freezing temperatures reduce the effectiveness of road salt. Castaneda also said drivers should be worried about black ice on bridges and overpasses.

Metra is running a Saturday schedule on Friday. The cold temperatures has forced Metra to reduce top speeds for trains, causing some delays.

The winter weather is also creating problems at Chicago’s airports during the busy holiday travel season.

Meanwhile, in downtown Chicago, Tricia Sheridan headed home from an overnight nursing shift feeling every bit of the bitter weather.

“It just stings the eyes,” Sheridan said. “You feel like you immediately have icicles on your eyelashes. Burns the nose. Try to keep everything covered up.”

People in the Loop dressed in several layers, but it still doesn’t feel like enough.

Ronnie Knowles had to go out to get to work at Navy Pier, waiting for a warm CTA bus to arrive seems like an eternity.

“You have to be dressed for it because it’s definitely cold because I’m wearing layers to make sure that I’m warm enough to get where I’m going,” Knowles said.

The temperature on a bank sign along Wacker Drive read nine degrees below zero. Combine the gusty conditions with that arctic number and it amounts to feeling more like -30.

Eric Courtney says Chicagoans are made for this.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “It’s Chicago. What more can I say?”

Meanwhile, while some are running last minute holiday errands, many are planning on staying inside until this cold snap passes.

“Home for the rest of the day,” Romeo Lee said. “Sit in the house and nothing else. I’m not even coming back out for today. Last night was enough for me.”

Heat Ordinance:

Chicago law requires residential buildings to have indoor temperature to be at least 68 degrees from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

The minimum is 66 degrees during the other hours. Landlords and building owners can face fines.

Call 311 to report inadequate heat. For more information, visit: www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/bldgs/supp_info/chicago-heat-ordinance.html.

ComEd prepares for power outages

ComEd said it is in position to assist people quickly in the event of power outages.

ComEd customers can text OUT to 26633 (COMED) to report an outage and receive restoration information as well as following ComEd on Twitter or on Facebook. Customers can also call 1-800 EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661), or report outages via the website at ComEd.com/report or use the ComEd app.

Stay tuned to ABC7 Eyewitness News and ABC7Chicago.com for the latest forecast and snowfall amounts as the winter storm approaches.

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Chicago weather forecast calls for several inches of snow; Winter Storm Warning in Illinois today, Blizzard Warning in NW Indiana

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CHICAGO (WLS) — A winter weather snow storm is moving into the Chicago area Thursday, with several inches of snow forecast along with high winds and dangerous wind chills.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the entire Chicago area and northwest Indiana.

School Closings: See Full List

The warning is in effect from 9 a.m. Thursday until Saturday at 6 a.m. for DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Grundy, Livingston and McHenry counties. For the rest of the Chicago area, the alert is in effect from noon Thursday until 6 a.m. Saturday, with the alert starting at 3 p.m. for areas in northwest Indiana.

WATCH | Latest 7-day Chicago weather forecast

ABC7 Chicago Meteorologist Tracy Butler said the storm could start moving into the western suburbs by 9 a.m., with the city seeing snow by noon and northwest Indiana by 3 p.m.

Butler said three to six inches of snow are expected from the storm, with higher amounts possible in northwest Indiana. Snow could fall at a rate of as much as an inch an hour Thursday.

Hundreds of flight cancellations at O’Hare, Midway airports from Chicago winter snow storm

One of the main hazards will be blowing snow from high winds. Butler said wind gusts of up to 50 miles-per-hour are possible.

Porter County, Indiana has a Blizzard Warning in effect from 3 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Saturday. Gov. Eric Holcomb has activated nearly 150 members of the National Guard to help stranded drivers as officials in Indiana and Illinois plead with people to stay off the roads.

Butler said temperatures could drop sharply Thursday, with wind chills well below zero by early Friday morning.

Meanwhile, Cook County says it’s prepared for the snow.

Sixty snow plows are on hand to both salt and clear the roads. Cook County is also deploying about 65 drivers and 16,000 tons of salt is available.

Metra will run a more limited schedule due to the weather but will have extra staffing on hand to battle the elements.

CTA said it will run trains and buses as normal on Thursday and Friday, but warned there could be delays due to the weather. Anyone who may be waiting outside for a bus is advised to bundle up.

ComEd prepares for power outages

ComEd said it is positioning people and equipment to be able to respond quickly to potential power outages.

“We are positioning our people and equipment to respond quickly and safely to any interruptions that result from this snowstorm,” said Terence Donnelly, president and COO of ComEd. “We realize that any interruption is an inconvenience to our customers, especially during the holidays. Avoiding power outages and restoring service quickly is critical. We have strengthened our system over the years to reduce the impacts a storm like this can have on our customers.”

They said they will have more than 1,800 utility workers on the system including 350 line workers from around the country to respond to any potential outages.

ComEd customers can text OUT to 26633 (COMED) to report an outage and receive restoration information as well as following ComEd on Twitter or on Facebook. Customers can also call 1-800 EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661), or report outages via the website at ComEd.com/report or use the ComEd app.

ComEd warns people never to approach a downed power line and not to approach ComEd crews to ask them about restoration times as they may be working on live electrical equipment.

What can I do if my flight is canceled, delayed? How to prepare for likely 2022 holiday travel mess

Hundreds of flights canceled:

Hundreds of flights have been canceled at O’Hare and Midway airports Thursday..

As of 4:30 a.m., 388 flights have been canceled at O’Hare Airport, with 156 flight cancellations at Midway Airport

Blizzard conditions are expected from the plains and the Midwest to the east coast, with high winds and plunging temperatures.

The delays and cancellations is only adding to the chaos at airports packed with holiday travelers.

What can I do if my flight is canceled, delayed? How to prepare for likely 2022 holiday travel mess

The roads will also be busy, as many families travel by car for the holidays.

Storm forces closures for schools and attractions

Christkindlmarket will close early due to the storm. Its downtown Chicago and Aurora locations will reduce their hours and close at 4 p.m. on Thursday, while the Wrigleyville market will be closed all day Thursday. All three markets will be closed Friday.

Lincoln Park Zoo will be closed Friday and Zoo Lights canceled due to the forecasted high winds and frigid temperatures. Anyone with tickets to ZooLights on December 23 should check their emails for more information.

The Adler Planetarium announced it would close Friday and Saturday in anticipation of the storm. It was scheduled to be closed Sunday.

Chicago Public Schools are planning to be open Thursday, but after-school activities are canceled. Friday was already a scheduled day off.

Click here to see a full list of school closures

What are criteria for a blizzard?

In order for a blizzard warning to be issued, the following conditions need to prevail for three hours or longer:

-The storm needs to have sustained wind or frequent gusts to 35 miles-per-hour or greater

-Falling and/or blowing snow reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile

Stay tuned to ABC7 Eyewitness News and ABC7Chicago.com for the latest forecast and snowfall amounts as the winter storm approaches.

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Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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Winter Storm Watch Issued for Chicago Area, With ‘Blizzard Conditions’ Possible Later This Week – NBC Chicago

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The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for the entire Chicago area, with “blizzard conditions” and wind gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour possible later this week.

According to the alert, the watch will take effect Thursday evening and will remain in effect until Friday night.

McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy and Kankakee counties are all included in the watch, as are Indiana’s Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton and Jasper counties.

While forecasts are unclear as to how much snow may actually fall, with the storm still potentially taking several different paths to arrive in the Midwest, what is known is that a snow event will coincide with fierce winds Thursday and into Friday.

The National Weather Service says that “blizzard conditions are possible” with the storm, with some wind gusts exceeding 50 miles per hour.

As a result, travel will become difficult, if not impossible, during the height of the storm, and power outages will be possible due to the hazardous conditions.

“White-out conditions” can be expected on area roadways, leaving visibility levels at or near zero.

After the storm passes through the area, frigid cold temperatures are expected, with highs potentially dropping into the single digits over the weekend.

Stay tuned to the NBC 5 News for all the latest forecasts, or download the NBC Chicago app for up-to-date information and radar.

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Science

Missed the ‘Snow’ Moon? Here’s When and Where to See It Again This Weekend – NBC Chicago

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Did you miss the “snow moon” last night? There’s still two more chances to catch the sight.

The second full moon of the year, named the “snow moon,” will be visible in the Chicago area this weekend.

Here’s when and where to see it.

When Can I See the ‘Snow’ Moon?

Though the moon’s peak illumination was Saturday at 2:17 a.m., the moon can be seen each night through Sunday, according to NBC 5 meteorologist.

Where Should I Look For the Moon?

The “snow moon,” will likely be visible in the night sky when looking east. According to the latest forecast models, skies should be mostly clear with a slight chance for rain Saturday night into early Sunday morning.

Why Do We Call It the ‘Snow’ Moon?

The “snow moon” gained its name from the Farmer’s Almanac, which says heavy snow typically occurs in the month of February. In the U.S., February has historically been the snowiest month, according to meteorologists.

Other February full moons have been appropriately named Groundhog moon, falling at the beginning of February, along with bald eagle moon and black bear moon.

The full moon has also been named the “hungry moon” by the Cherokee tribe because food was scarce during February given the excessive snow, the NBC 5 Storm Team said.

Though much of February brought heavy snow, sunshine and warming temperatures are expected to arrive in the Chicago area this weekend.

According to NBC 5 meteorologists, temperatures could warm to the low 50s on Saturday, bringing mostly sunny skies and “spring-like” conditions to the region.

Areas to the north of Chicago will likely see highs in the upper 40s, whereas areas further south can expect highs in the low 50s.

On Sunday, partly sunny skies continue across the region with highs in the low 50s, according to the latest weather reports.



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