The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Lake and McHenry counties, with estimates showing that 6 inches of snow is possible late Friday through late Saturday night.
The National Weather Service in Chicago issued the watch at 3 a.m. Thursday and includes all counties in northern and central Illinois, as well as portions of northwest Indiana.
The alert said possible heavy snow is expected to fall across the region, with possible snow accumulations reaching more than 6 inches.
The weather service also warns that travel could be impacted and difficult at times.
Holiday travellers are urged to keep a close eye on the latest forecasts to see how the storm is expected to impact them.
The winter storm watch comes after high winds hit Lake and McHenry counties on Wednesday, with wind gusts as high as 50 mph throughout the region.
Officials said Thanksgiving Day will not be quite as windy, but will remain blustery and cold with windchills expected to reach as low as 7 degrees below zero.
Officials said Wednesday there was a 100 percent chance of some snow accumulation overnight Friday, but were unsure how much snow was expected to blanket the area.
Temperatures early Sunday morning are expected to drop to 1 degree overnight Saturday into Sunday, officials said.
Officials are asking people to keep an eye on the NWS Facebook page or visit weather.gov/Chicago for forecast updates.