Deep, wet snow is forecast to accumulate near the Illinois-Wisconsin state line and especially away from the lake. However, there is still room for the location of the narrow heavy snow corridor to wobble north or south by the width of a county or more. Therefore, a last minute change in the path of the narrow heavy snow corridor could put the deep snow north of the Illinois-Wisconsin state line, or south along North Cook County. Also unpredictable, is whether snow accumulations are possible on main roadway thoroughfares due to wet snow falling on warm surfaces. The snow on roadways just might not stick, and private driveways might see nothing but slush.
Widespread rain arriving this evening, quickly transitioning to a wet snow in far northern Illinois overnight (transition to all snow occurring later towards daybreak towards the I-88 and I-80 corridors and the heart of the Chicago metro)
Intense snowfall rates (likely 1+”/hour at times) are likely to produce a narrow corridor of 6+” of heavy, wet snow accumulation in portions of interior northern Illinois and in locations near/along the Illinois-Wisconsin state line
Travel impacts in the form of sharply reduced visibilities and slushy snow accumulations on roadways are likely within the corridor of heavier snowfall. Uncertainty exists whether snow will accumulate on main thoroughfares due to mild antecedent conditions and near-surface air temperatures remaining near 32°F, though accumulations are more likely on secondary/untreated roadways, as well as bridges and overpasses.
The Winter Weather Advisory issued Friday morning for Ogle, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, and Lake counties in far northern Illinois was upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning Friday afternoon for areas where 6+” of snow accumulation is mostly to occur. The timing of this snow impact was left unchanged (from 1 AM CDT through 1 PM CDT).
Friday afternoon, a Winter Weather Advisory remained in effect for Lee, DeKalb, and Kane counties from 1 AM CDT through 1 PM CDT; and Northern Cook County was joined to the Winter Weather Advisory area later Friday afternoon, though only from 7 AM CDT through 1 PM CDT Saturday given the expected later start time of snow across northern Cook County. At least 3″ of snow may fall in at least portions of these counties, and the heavy snow rates may lead to hazardous travel here as well.
DeKalb and Kane counties were added to the Winter Storm Warning area Friday night with deeper snow possible in the range of 3 to 5 inches Saturday.
If you see snow accumulating in Arlington Heights well before 7:00 a.m. during the overnight hours Friday/Sunday, the corridor may have moved south, and you can expect deeper snow in Arlington Heights. If the track moves north, Arlington Heights and nearby communities will hardly see any snow accumulation.
Making things more interesting, O’Hare International Airport is not under the Winter Weather Advisory, but Elk Grove Village across Elmhurst Road is under a Winter Weather Advisory. Arlington Heights, even just south of Lake Cook Road is under a Winter Weather Advisory, but Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve just north of Lake Cook Road is under a Winter Storm Warning.
Weather Radar shows snow visible west of Rockford, but a dry space northeast, east, central and southwest Illinois at 11:00 p.m. A precipitation band is building over northwest Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. A large area of precipitation with thunderstorms is visible over southeast Illinois and the southern half of Indiana.
See also Arlingtoncardinal.com/clouds
Rain will change to heavy wet snow late tonight/Sat AM, mainly near & north of a line from northern burbs of Chicago to Dekalb/Dixon areas. North of this line a band of 5 to locally 9 inches of snow is expected. A VERY sharp cut off to snow is expected south of this line. pic.twitter.com/SAbPYWACym
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 25, 2023
O’HARE FORECAST …
Tonight: Rain before 4am, then rain and snow. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 33. Breezy, with an east northeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Saturday: Rain and snow, mainly before 4pm. High near 37. Breezy, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 44. Calm wind becoming north northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Northeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Monday: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 45.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 46.
Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.
Thursday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51.
Thursday Night: Rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Friday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Breezy.
LAKE TEMPS …
SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN WATER TEMPERATURES
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
202 PM CDT Fri Mar 24 2023
LAKE MICHIGAN WATER TEMPERATURES…
CHICAGO SHORE……….40.
CHICAGO CRIB………..40.
MICHIGAN CITY……….37.
&&
M IS FOR MISSING DATA THAT IS NORMALLY AVAILABLE.
THE MICHIGAN CITY WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR IS LOCATED AT A WATER
INTAKE ONE MILE OFFSHORE AND 60 FEET BELOW WATER SURFACE. IT IS READ EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.
march.chicagoweatherstation.com
Chicago Weather Forecast for your MAC/PC/TABLET includes surrounding suburbs.
^^ MOBILE? USE VOICE MIC ^^
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