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Winter Storm Warning, Winter Weather Advisory Issued as Wintry Blast Approaches

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for several counties, and then a blast of cold air will follow the storm

Sunday dawned with sunshine across much of the Chicagoland area, however, the area now prepares for yet another blast of wintry weather.

After the Chicago area hits a high of 15 degrees on Sunday, a weather system is set to move in.

Beginning at 9 p.m. Sunday, a Winter Storm Warning will go into effect in Lake and McHenry counties in Illinois, as well as Kenosha County in Wisconsin. Heavy snow will begin to fall late Sunday in those areas, with up to 9 inches possible in some northern areas.

Further south, a Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for counties surrounding Chicago, including DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Cook, LaSalle, Grundy, Kendall, and Will counties in Illinois. Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties in Indiana are also under the advisory. 

The advisory in DeKalb and LaSalle counties was scheduled to go into effect beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday, and will last until 6 p.m. Monday. All other counties in the Advisory area are set to begin at 9 p.m. Sunday. 

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Some northern areas could see three to six inches of snow, while areas further south could see a mix of precipitation that could create icy road conditions for travellers during the morning and evening commutes.

Even after that weather system moves out of the area, residents will have to deal with a different threat: bitter cold. Temperatures will plunge on Tuesday and into Wednesday, with wind chills potentially dropping to 35 to 50 degrees below zero in some locations.

In fact, Wednesday has the potential to be one of the coldest days in Chicago history, as NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Pete Sack’s forecast calls for a high temperature of -8.

The lowest high temperature in Chicago history came in January 1994, when the mercury only rose to -11.

Timeline: Potential Snowstorm, Frigid Arctic Air Head Toward Chicago Area

The coldest high temperature on January 30 in Chicago history is three degrees above zero, so the area could smash several cold-related records in the coming days.

For all the latest details and weather alerts, be sure to download the NBC Chicago app, and stay tuned to NBC 5 for the latest forecasts.

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