Forecasters are warning about another round of accumulating snow and high winds that will begin Thursday evening in the Chicagoland area and could impact the Friday morning commute.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said Thursday that another round of accumulating snow is expected Thursday night.
A brief burst of snow will occur Thursday evening, with the steadiest snow likely lasting less than 90 minutes, causing roads to become snow-coated along with sharply-reduced visibility.
Another period of snow will develop very late Thursday evening into Friday morning.
The snow will develop west to east across northern Illinois and continue past sunrise on Friday.
The weather service said amounts will vary across the area but will likely be around an inch to two inches.
“This may lead to slippery road conditions overnight into early Friday morning, including for the morning commute,” the NWS said.
There remains some uncertainty on the exact start and end times. Wind gusts are expected up to 25-30 mph.
Motorists are urged to prepare for reduced visibility, hazardous travel and slowed driving.
Forecasters say motorists should prepare for extra travel time and stay tuned for weather updates.
A wintry pattern will persist across the region through early next week, consisting of intermittent snow showers, cold temperatures and periods of blustery winds.
Wind chills will dip below zero at times, especially this coming weekend into early next week, the NWS said.
The second round of snow Thursday into Friday comes after a band of gusty snow showers moved across the Chicago area on Wednesday morning.
The snow, fueled by high winds, caused hazardous travel conditions that resulted in emergency crews responding to dozens of vehicle crashes across Lake and McHenry counties, including numerous school bus crashes.