Winter Storm Watch Issued for Parts of Northern Illinois

A winter storm watch has been issued for parts of northern Illinois, as snowfall totals in excess of six inches are possible.

According to the National Weather Service, the watch will include McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, and Kane counties, and will go into effect on Tuesday morning. Kenosha County in southeastern Wisconsin is also included in the watch.

Travel is expected to be impacted by the snow, as snowfall could exceed one inch per hour in some locations. Six or more inches of snow are possible between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning, according to forecast models.

Strong winds are also possible with the weather system, with blowing and drifting snow possible during the morning and evening commutes.

Several factors are expected to come into play that will dictate just how much snow the area will see, and where the snow will fall. Beginning Tuesday night, forecast models show the potential for lake enhancement of the snow, meaning that winds off of Lake Michigan could help add moisture to the storm system, causing even more snow to fall.

In addition, it is unclear where the line will eventually settle between rain and snow. Forecast models currently indicate that the line will settle just northwest of Chicago, keeping the heaviest snows in the northwest suburbs. Meanwhile the southern suburbs would see mostly rain during the storm, with the rain only turning to snow on Wednesday.