Officials are warning the Chicago area to brace for a severe winter storm that could dump up to 9 inches of snow on the region before temperatures plummet on Sunday.
Snow is expected to start falling in the late afternoon or early evening on Friday, developing over northern Illinois and spreading south, according to the National Weather Service. It could fall up to an inch per hour, with 5 to 9 inches expected by Saturday morning north of I-88. Areas south of the interstate could see between 3 and 7 inches.
Drivers can expect a dangerous Friday evening commute, with the worst hazards, including reduced visibility, ice covered roads and gusts up to 35 mph, mainly north of I-88, the weather service warned. The storm should taper off by noon Saturday, but additional lake effect snow will occur Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Illinois Department of Transportation crews will be pretreating bridges, overpasses, ramps and other road surfaces susceptible to icing before snow starts to fall, the department said in a statement. More than 1,700 plows and salt trucks will be deployed statewide throughout the weekend.
Cook County officials said the Department of Transportation and Highways will be monitoring conditions and is ready to “deploy the resources necessary to keep the 1,500 lane miles the County maintains safe for drivers.”
In anticipation of the snow, Amtrak canceled Saturday service of its Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited lines, which connect Chicago to Washington D.C. and New York. A full list of Amtrak service changes can be found on the agency’s website.
While Metra planned to operate trains on a normal weekday schedule on Friday despite the storm, the transit agency advised riders to expect delays, allow extra travel time and refer to Metra’s website or customer alerts for the latest train information.
ComEd officials said crews will be ready to respond to any weather-related power outages the storm may cause.
“Our team is committed to responding to inclement weather issues and restoring any power interruptions as quickly and safely as possible,” ComEd President and Chief Operating Officer Terence R. Donnelly said in a statement.
Nicor Gas officials said residents should use caution when removing snow or ice from gas meters, and call 911 or Nicor’s 24-hour emergency line at (888) 642-6748 to report any gas leaks.
Daytime high temperatures were forecast in the upper 20s to low 30s on Friday and in the low to mid-20s Saturday. Nighttime Saturday temperatures could plummet to 12 degrees, and only reach as high as 17 on Sunday, the weather service said.
Temperatures could dip into single-digits Sunday night, with a high near 19 expected on Monday, the weather service said. Wind chills could plummet to 18 degrees below zero over the weekend, with temperatures staying below 20 until at least Thursday.
Chicagoans who need to get out of the cold can call 311 for information about the nearest warming center or overnight shelter. Cook County officials have also released a list of suburban warming centers. State officials also provide information about warming centers online, or at (847) 411-9276.
