A winter storm warning remained in effect in parts of the Chicago area early Tuesday as a major snowstorm continued to blanket the region, leaving more than a foot of snow in some areas and making for hazardous conditions.
Cook County and Lake County in Illinois will remain under a winter storm warning through 12 p.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. A winter storm warning for several other counties in Illinois and northwest Indiana, as well as winter weather advisories in parts, expired at 9 a.m.
The NWS urged Illinois residents to exercise extreme caution while traveling, forecasting that the winter storm pounding the region would be “peaking in intensity” in the late evening hours.
The storm, which has already dumped more than a foot of snow on some portions of the area, will hang around the area through Tuesday morning.
Lake and Cook counties are expected to take on the brunt of the storm, with lake-effect snow contributing to locally higher snowfall totals. According to the NWS, several more inches of snow are possible before the storm moves out of the area, with the highest totals expected within five-to-ten miles of Lake Michigan.
Chicago's Midway Airport saw 17.7 inches of snow from Monday to Tuesday, according to the NWS, while O'Hare Airport saw 7.5 inches. As of Tuesday morning, north suburban Evanston saw the highest snow total of the area as reported to the NWS, clocking in at 18 inches.
Local
More snow combined with blustery winds will make for continued low visibility on roadways through the morning commute Tuesday.
Additional snowfall totals of several inches are expected, with the highest accumulations along and east of Interstate 57.
