Chicago woke up Monday to light snow, fog and a classic Midwestern reality check, with temperatures stuck in the mid 20s and visibility already dropping across the city. Patchy blowing snow combined with gusty northwest winds is turning the morning commute into a slow, slick crawl.
What To Expect This Morning
The most intense snow and lowest visibility are expected through about 9 a.m., with a fresh 1 to 3 inches likely across much of the city and some higher totals inland. The National Weather Service has a Winter Weather Advisory in place through 1 p.m., and Blizzard Warnings remain up for parts of northwest Illinois, according to NWS Chicago. Gusty west-northwest winds of 25 to 30 mph, with occasional gusts up to 45 mph, will kick up blowing and drifting snow and create pockets of near whiteout conditions.
Winds And The Commute
Those strong northwest gusts will make open stretches of expressways and side streets equally dicey, with reduced visibility and slick spots that can sneak up fast. Expect slower bus and train rides, plus some spinouts for drivers who push their luck. Transit riders should check the latest alerts on the CTA before heading out. If you have to drive, build in extra time, ease off the gas and give plows plenty of room to do their job.
Tonight And The Week Ahead
A quick-hitting clipper system could drop another round of light snow from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, although amounts look lighter than Monday’s event and many neighborhoods should see less than an inch, according to NWS Chicago. The payoff comes later in the week, when highs rebound into the 40s and 50s by Thursday and Friday, easing travel issues as the weekend approaches.
For now, slow down, flip on your headlights in low visibility and keep a phone charger and extra warm layers in the car. If you can, delay nonessential trips until crews have cleared the roads, and check on neighbors who depend on steady heat or medical equipment, since wind chills will make it feel much colder than the thermometer suggests.
