Suddenly it's winter as a wintry mix sweeps across the Chicago Metro area

Wintry conditions have arrived with a flourish across the Chicago area Thur4sdaay afternoon. Temperatures are hovering in the upper 30s and lower 40s with brisk west winds 20-25 mph gusting in excess of 30 mph. Showers of snow, snow pellets, sleet and rain are occurring across the area with the visibility dropping to between 1/4 and 1/2 miles in the heavier bursts of snow. With still warm pavement and surface temperatures well above freezing, the snow is not accumulating, but melting as it falls in most locations, though cars and colder grassy surfaces are briefly turning white in some areas. The precipitation should end early tonight and a partly sunny Veterans Day is expected with high temperatures climbing into the middle and upper 40s.