Chicago winter storm: Up to 7 inches of snow possible midweek; dangerous travel expected

NOTE: Special weather coverage of the winter storm begins at 4 a.m. Wednesday on NBC 5, the NBC 5 Chicago News Streaming channel and right here on NBCChicago.com and the NBC Chicago app.

Some in the Chicago area were waking up Tuesday morning to light flurries as a weak cold front passed through parts of Northeast Illinois, with a dusting or a coating of snow possible on area roadways, NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.

The front comes before a winter storm set to move in Wednesday will dump heavy snow across the region, with as much as seven inches of snow or more possible.

"The flurries today have nothing to do with the winter weather system moving in tomorrow," Roman stressed, though "brief bursts" of snow were possible through Tuesday morning, followed by lake effect snow in some parts Tuesday afternoon.

Beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday, the entire Chicago area will be under a winter weather advisory, which was upgraded from a winter storm watch, with heavy accumulating snow expected throughout the day.

The snow will be steady at times, Roman said, with as much as an inch of snow per hour falling in the evening hours.

"Steady, if not heavy at times," Roman said of the snow. "It will definitely impact the afternoon commute tomorrow."

Wednesday snow storm timing

Snow will begin to move in around 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. Wednesday, Roman said, hitting Chicago's western counties first. The snow will continue to push eastward, with a winter storm watch taking effect for all of Northeastern Illinois at 9 a.m.

Roman stressed that the watch could be upgraded to a warning ahead of the snow.

Heavy, widespread snow was expected to continue throughout the day Wednesday, with the afternoon and evening commute likely to be impacted.

"Prepare for hazardous travel conditions, especially during the afternoon and evening commute when we expect the highest snowfall rates (potentially exceeding 1 inch per hour at times)," the National Weather Service said.

Snow was expected to continue falling across the area though late Wednesday night, Roman said, The watch was not set to expire until 3 a.m. Thursday.

Snow totals

Roman noted between three and five inches of snow could fall in parts to the south when all is said and done.

In counties to the north and west however, those totals were expected to be higher, with between four and seven inches possible.

Some parts of the area could see even more. According to the NWS, total snow accumulations in southeastern Wisconsin, including in Milwaukee, Racine, Lake Geneva, Waukesha and Kenosha, could be upwards of nine inches.

Sharply reduced visibility, snow-covered roads and treacherous travel were all possible, the NWS warned.

Another round of snow Friday

Wednesday's system is the first of two rounds of snow expected this week, Roman said.

While a break in the snow was expected for most of the day Thursday, more winter weather developing Friday night could dump several more inches of snow across the area, leading to higher accumulations overall.

"Another winter storm possible late Friday," the NWS said.

The snow comes as northeastern Illinois faces a major snow deficit, with only 10 inches of snow so far this season, Roman said.

"We should be around 25 inches at this time," Roman said, of how little snowfall the Chicago area has seen this winter.