Chicago residents woke up to a treacherous Thursday morning, as sleet and freezing rain created hazardous sheets of ice across roads and sidewalks. According to NBC Chicago, the conditions came after a winter weather advisory was issued, warning drivers of icy surfaces following a night of wintry precipitation.

Multiple crashes were reported, and with the ice making roads treacherous, the National Weather Service had advised against non-essential travel. Despite untreated sidewalks resembling ice rinks, the Illinois Department of Transportation's winter road conditions map showed areas of icing in numerous suburbs, including Hoffman Estates and Joliet, and not just on roadways but also on cars themselves in Mount Prospect, as seen on the untreated slick sheets of ice.

The icy conditions weren't confined to the suburbs; they extended to Chicago's streets and highways, affecting the morning commute significantly. Illinois State Police attended to several incidents, including spinouts and slide-offs on the Edens Expressway. A notable closure occurred on westbound I-88 between mile markers 91 and 81 after multiple collisions, as reported by ABC 7 Chicago.

While the freeze posed serious dangers, rising temperatures were expected to offer some respite later in the day. "We'll need to wait until we get above freezing for things to thaw," NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman was quoted saying, indicating that conditions should improve as the mercury climbs. However, with another wintry mix of sleet and snow anticipated by Saturday afternoon, Chicagoans might be repeating the icy ordeal all over again this weekend.