A harmful mixture of heavy snow, fierce winds and bone-chilling chilly will mix to create doubtlessly “life-threatening” journey situations later this week within the Chicago space, with motorists urged to postpone pointless journey if potential in the course of the peak of the storm.
In keeping with the Nationwide Climate Service, the Chicago space will face “important” dangers of heavy snow and blowing snow on each Thursday and Friday, with an elevated “non-thunderstorm wind threat” on each days.
There’s additionally the prospect of some ice accumulation as a result of fast drops in temperatures, and all three of these occasions will trigger rapidly-deteriorating highway situations, particularly late Thursday and into Friday.
In a hazardous climate alert issued Tuesday afternoon, NWS officers mentioned that situations “could develop into life-threatening for anybody who turns into stranded” in the course of the storm, and described journey situations as “harmful” from Thursday night time by way of Friday night time.
That comes amid one of many busiest journey instances of the yr, with the Illinois Tollway estimating that 1.7 million autos are anticipated to make use of the tollway system on each Wednesday and Thursday.
Greater than 1,000,000 autos are anticipated every day from Friday by way of Monday, however modifications to the forecast may doubtlessly lead some to journey earlier to get out forward of the arrival storm.
The Illinois Division of Transportation is urging motorists to examine their web site for the most recent journey situations, and can function a fleet of snow vehicles and salt spreaders to assist address the inclement climate.
Lastly, the Chicago Workplace of Emergency Administration and Communication is urging metropolis residents to “keep inside as a lot as potential” in the course of the peak of the storm on Thursday and Friday.
Even after the snow stops falling late Friday and into Saturday, situations may stay hazardous on space roadways due to the robust winds, which is able to trigger continued blowing and drifting of snow, particularly in open areas.
Frigid chilly will even stay a risk, with wind chills doubtlessly falling to greater than 20 levels beneath zero in some areas.
Sunday will nonetheless see frigid situations, however winds ought to start to ease, making journey much less hazardous.
