A fast-moving Clipper system will spread snow across the Chicago Metro area beginning near midnight and continuing overnight. Accumulations should be in the 1-3 inch range with a few local 4 inch totals possible. With temperatures holding in the single-digits as the snow begins roads will quickly become slippery. Caution is advised for overnight travel due to the snow.
Follow the approach of tonight's expected snowfall on the Chicago Weather Center weather blog.
Here is the latest post on this system from the National Weather Service
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL 348 PM CST FRI FEB 1 2013 WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE IL-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK- LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON-IROQUOIS-FORD- LAKE IN-PORTER-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROCKFORD...BELVIDERE...WOODSTOCK... WAUKEGAN...OREGON...DIXON...DEKALB...AURORA...WHEATON...CHICAGO... OTTAWA...OSWEGO...MORRIS...JOLIET...KANKAKEE...PONTIAC... WATSEKA...PAXTON...GARY...VALPARAISO...MOROCCO...RENSSELAER... FOWLER 348 PM CST FRI FEB 1 2013 /448 PM EST FRI FEB 1 2013/ ...PERIODS OF SNOW EXPECTED TONIGHT... A WEATHER DISTURBANCE WILL DROP SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. THIS WILL RESULT IN PERIODS OF SNOW TONIGHT ACROSS THE AREA. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. ONCE THE SNOW BEGINS IT COULD FALL AT A DECENT RATE AT TIMES...WITH AMOUNTS OF UP TO A HALF INCH PER HOUR POSSIBLE. THIS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN DRASTICALLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES UNDER 1 MILE...AND THE RAPID ACCUMULATION OF SNOW ON AREA ROADS. THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS SHOULD FALL ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHWESTERN INDIANA...GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM NEAR DIXON SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH MORRIS TO RENSSELAER INDIANA. A TOTAL OF 2 TO 4 INCHES IS EXPECTED...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS SOUTH AND WEST OF THIS LINE. THE SNOW WILL QUICKLY TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST SATURDAY MORNING. THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR RAPIDLY DETERIORATING CONDITIONS LATER THIS EVENING...ALONG WITH SLICK SNOW COVERED ROADS.
