Winter Weather Advisory Issued as Significant Lake-Effect Snow Expected in Cook County

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A winter storm warning has been allowed to expire for most of northern Illinois, but lake-effect snow could bring significant accumulations overnight and into Thursday for parts of Cook County.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for all of Cook County that will go into effect at 9 p.m., and will run through 6 p.m. Thursday.

The advisory calls for slippery road conditions and “sharply varying visibility,” with blowing, heavy snow possible because of the lake-effect snow.

While it is unclear just how much snow will fall due to the fickle nature of lake-effect snow, the latest High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) projections provided by the NBC 5 Storm Team currently show the plume of snow hitting northern and central Cook County, with more than a foot of snow possible in a limited area that includes Glencoe, Glenview, and Niles.

Photos: Winter Weather Advisory Issued as Significant Lake-Effect Snow Expected in Cook County

Areas further to the south in Cook County, as well as portions of western Will County, could also see some snow from the lake-effect plume, forecasters said.

Forecasters and officials with the National Weather Service did issue a warning to residents that lake-effect snow bands tend to target very specific areas, meaning that snowfall will be highly concentrated in a specific area.

The National Weather Service says that 1-to-4 inches of snow are likely in parts of Cook County, but advised that localized heavier totals are possible.

Communities outside of the heaviest bands will likely see less accumulation, with forecasters keeping a close eye on a fluid situation.  

More details will emerge on the lake-effect snow as the system begins to develop Wednesday night, so stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team and the NBC 5 app for all the latest updates.

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