The first snowfall of the season has arrived in the Chicago area, with snow showers Wednesday evening leading into a likely wintry day Thursday, with gusty winds accumulating snow expected.
Bursts of snow began developing this evening, moving west-to-east across the region, causing reduced visibility in areas. A coating of snow on grassy and elevated areas is possible this evening.
The heavier snow isn’t expected to arrive until later on Thursday morning, with heavy bursts of wet snow potentially causing accumulations on roadways. Winds will also continue to be gusty, adding additional headaches for motorists and commuters.
According to the latest estimates from the NBC 5 Storm Team, anywhere from 1-to-3 inches of accumulation are possible before the storm system starts to move out of the area, but how much will actually stick to the ground remains to be seen.
The heaviest accumulations could occur in areas south of Interstate 80 and into northwest Indiana, as snowfall is expected to continue into the late morning and even Thursday afternoon in those locations.
Warm ground conditions could impact how much snow actually sticks, but warming temperatures will also play a role, as the snow will slowly transition to rain across the area once temperatures get above freezing.
Local
Once that snow begins to move out of the area, the Chicago area can expect to see mostly dry conditions into the weekend, with temperatures in the 40s expected, according to forecast models.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly> Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
