Chicago weather: Heavy snow bursts extend winter advisory

CHICAGO - The Winter Weather Advisory was extended for parts of the Chicago area including northwest Indiana Thursday morning due to heavy bursts of snow, strong wind gusts and slippery conditions.

The advisory went into effect at 7 a.m. through 1 p.m. for the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will.

The advisory was extended until 3 p.m. for Kankakee County and Jasper, Lake, Newton and Porter counties in Indiana.

The National Weather Service said snowfall could accumulate at rates of over 1 inch per hour during the heaviest bursts.

Totals between 2-4 inches are projected with major roads being less impacted due to heavy travel and warm pavement temps. Winds gusting to more than 40 mph will complicate travel though by reducing visibility on top of any slick spots.

By 2 p.m., light rain/drizzle will mix in as temperatures aloft and at ground level climb. This will promote melting and the afternoon commute should be just wet. Highs today won’t happen until after dark, and will likely fall just shy of 40 degrees.  

Unlike many snow "storms", this one will not be followed by sub-freezing temperatures. All night, temperatures will be well above freezing with mid-to-upper 40s tomorrow taking care of any remaining snow on the ground. Saturday through Tuesday look dry and milder with highs climbing from the upper 40s Saturday to the low 50s Monday through Tuesday.

The normal dates of first fall snows are as follows: First trace is Oct. 31. First measurable of 0.1 inch or more is Nov. 18. First inch or more is Dec. 7.  We had a trace of snow yesterday and will certainly have measurable snow and very likely 1 inch or more today.  

This morning, Chicago has dipped below freezing for the first time since March 28.