In Arlington Heights, snow flurries began about 9:00 a.m., significant snowfall began about 9:20 a.m. with radar showing precipitation in the entire northern Illinois and eastern central Illinois regions. A small area of the forecast area may see 8″-12″ inches of snow, but the National Weather Service does pinpoint a forecast on that possibility this early in the event. However, it is possible that somewhere in Chicagoland, a Winter Storm Warning will be issued for a small area. Northwest Indiana, including Valparaiso, Indiana is under a Winter Storm Warning from 11:00 a.m. Thursday through 9:00 a.m. Friday.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
332 AM CST THU JAN 12 2012
…SNOW AND STRONG WINDS TO DEVELOP TODAY LINGERING INTO TONIGHT…
MCHENRY-LAKE IL-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK-KENDALL-WILL-KANKAKEE-IROQUOIS-
FORD-LAKE IN-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…WOODSTOCK…WAUKEGAN…AURORA…
WHEATON…CHICAGO…OSWEGO…JOLIET…KANKAKEE…WATSEKA…
PAXTON…GARY…MOROCCO…RENSSELAER…FOWLER
332 AM CST THU JAN 12 2012 /432 AM EST THU JAN 12 2012/
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM CST /10 AM
EST/ THIS MORNING TO 9 AM CST /10 AM EST/ FRIDAY…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM CST /10 AM
EST/ THIS MORNING TO 9 AM CST /10 AM EST/ FRIDAY.
* TIMING…SNOW WILL BEGIN BETWEEN 9 AM AND NOON AND CONTINUE
INTO FRIDAY MORNING.
* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE LIKELY WITH
LOCALLY HEAVIER TOTALS POSSIBLE.
* HAZARDS…IN ADDITION TO THE FALLING SNOW…WINDS WILL INCREASE
TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH BY AFTERNOON RESULTING
IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW…ESPECIALLY IN OUTLYING AND OPEN
AREAS. WIND CHILLS ARE ALSO FORECAST TO DROP TO ZERO TO 10 BELOW
BY FRIDAY MORNING.
* IMPACTS…ACCUMULATING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES WILL LIKELY
MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT FOR THE AFTERNOON COMMUTE TODAY…WITH
TRAVEL CONDITIONS BECOMING TREACHEROUS AND EVEN DANGEROUS IN
OPEN AREAS TONIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS THAT
VISIBILITIES WILL BE LIMITED DUE TO A COMBINATION OF FALLING AND
BLOWING SNOW. USE CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING… ESPECIALLY IN OPEN
AREAS.