Intense snowfall prompted a messy evening commute, long delays and snow-covered roads late Friday afternoon in northwest Indiana.
At around 5:21 p.m., the National Weather Service in Chicago tweeted images from Indiana Department of Transportation traffic cameras, showing how much snow some communities have already seen. Hazardous travel conditions were expected to continue into the evening. Multiple collisions were reported as snow blanketed the region, including one that resulted in lane closures along the Indiana Toll Road near Chesterton and a separate crash on Interstate 80 eastbound near Gary.
The snow and challenging road conditions weren't just limited to northwest Indiana.
The National Weather Service, in a tweet at 3:43 p.m., said dangerous road conditions will continue in an area including Kankakee County in Illinois, along with part of Will County. The region will likely see "intense snowfall rates," strong northeast winds and lighting strikes possibly within bands of snow, according to the NWS.
Drivers are advised to take it slow - as snow is poised to continue in the region for a few more hours.
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The Kankakee County Sheriff posted a message, pleading with drivers to slow down and give yourself additional time - if you must drive. "Numerous accidents" were being reported across the county as of 3:29 p.m., the sheriff's department said.
A photo from an Illinois Department of Transportation traffic camera along Interstate 57 showed snow covering the interstate, with few vehicles present.
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A "complex" storm system was poised to move into the area Friday, with Kankakee County slated to see "heavy, wet snow" with total snow accumulations of between three and six inches," according to the National Weather Service.
A winter storm warning for Kankakee and eastern Will Counties in Illinois, as well as Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana took effect at 2 p.m. Friday. In Grundy, northern and southern Will Counties, and southern Cook Counties, a winter weather advisory also went into effect at 2 p.m. There, a wintry mix of rain and wet, slushy snow is more likely, with a "brief period of heavy snow rates and sharply reduced visibility possible."
