Chicago Weather

Chicago weather: ‘Significant' wintry system with freezing rain, ice, sleet by midweek

Monday and Tuesday in the Chicago area were expected to remain dry, followed by a "significant" wintry weather system with sleet and freezing rain mid-week

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While a wintry weather system was on tap to move in midweek, some in the Chicago area Monday morning were waking up to patchy fog and drizzle, the NBC 5 Storm Team said, with the National Weather Service warning of "rapidly changing visibility when driving."

According to NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman, visibility early Monday morning was lowest in areas to the north and west, including Lake, McHenry, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Kendall and Northern Will Counties where a "special weather statement" was in effect. Conditions were expected to improve by mid-morning, the NWS said.

"Expect to encounter sharply reduced visibility and rapidly changing visibility when driving in and out of this patchy dense fog," the NWS said.

Monday will also see a wide range of temperatures, Roman said, with upper 30s and low 40s to the north, and mid-to-upper 50s in the south.

According to Roman, Kankakee could see readings as high as 57 degrees, while Waukegan could reach only a high of 39.

Monday and Tuesday were expected to remain dry, Roman said, with cooler temperatures moving in and a "significant" wintry weather system bringing freezing rain, sleet, and the chance for icy accumulations Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday morning.

"Expect a wintry mix of snow/sleet to freezing rain, changing to plain rain in spots late day into the evening, especially the farther south you go," the NWS said, noting that the exact track and strength of the system remained uncertain.

As of Monday, the NWS predicted the highest chance for ice accumulations Wednesday of 0.1 inches or greater is for areas near and north of I-80.

Timing: What to expect and when as 'prolonged' period of freezing rain, sleet, ice moves into Chicago area

"While it’s still too early to confidently narrow down the specifics with this system, including the magnitude of impacts, at least some winter weather impacts are likely for many locations," the NWS added.

Temperatures Tuesday will be in the 30s, Roman said, with "colder than average" temperatures to last for the next couple of weeks.

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