Chicago and its neighboring regions are bracing for a bout of severe winter weather, with a cocktail of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and bone-chilling wind chills on the forecast. The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a range of alerts, including a significant snow risk for Porter County, Indiana, and elevated excessive cold risk areas. Heavy lake effect snow is anticipated to persist through mid-morning in parts of Indiana while dangerously low wind chills are expected to continue west of the Fox Valley, according to the National Weather Service.
The onslaught of winter has already left its mark on LaPorte County, Indiana, where some areas have been buried under more than two feet of snow. Pinola leads with a staggering 32 inches, and nearby Springville isn't far behind at 30.5 inches. The latest accumulation reports came Friday night after snowfall rates reached up to two inches per hour, leading to hazardous travel conditions, NBC Chicago reports. In Chicago itself, today's highs are set to hover around a frigid 17 degrees, plunging to -2 degrees tonight, with wind chill values dropping to an even colder -14 degrees.
Monday could see a messy mix of snow and sleet turning to freezing rain, with a near certainty of precipitation for the night. The following days up until Friday are expected to experience intermittent rain with cloud cover, as detailed by the weather forecast. Waterways in the area might also face localized ice jam flooding continuing for an unspecified duration.
Near Lake Michigan, hazardous conditions for small craft are likely, coupled, with a limited risk of freezing spray. Mariners are advised to exercise caution through the coming days as the lake effects contribute to the adversity of conditions.
