Wet snow has overspread the Chicago area.
Snow will likely continue this afternoon, melting as it falls on sidewalks/roadways, but accumulating on grassy areas, especially in counties along and south of Interstate-80 where the snowfall will be heaviest. Watch for slick spots on highways and overpasses.
The city of Chicago has seen mostly flurries and some snowflakes in the air but skies have actually brightened a bit as we move through the midday hour. There’s been no accumulation here.
To our south, there’s been some accumulation (an inch) as far north as Romeoville. As anticipated, the sticking snow has occurred to the south of the city and most notably on some colder outdoor surfaces.
The upper-air support will move off to the east this evening with snow ending from the west. Then temps will fall through the 30s overnight – we’re expecting lowest readings in the mid and upper 20s.
A Freeze Warning is in effect for the entire area of northeast Illinois/northwest Indiana from midnight tonight until 9 a.m. Wednesday.
After a band of snow or rain/snow mix moves through during the day Wednesday. Frost/Freeze Warnings are likely to be posted again Wednesday night/early Thursday.
Though there’s some mixed precip, it’s unlikely the 0.2″ maximum April 20 snowfall is in jeopardy in the city. Nor is it likely that we’ll challenge the only other measurable snow tallied on April 20—the 0.1″ which fell on this date 43 years ago in 1978. My WGN meteorological colleague Mark Carroll has scanned Chicago’s official records dating back to the 1884-85 snow season to come up with those totals. The best chance for sticking snow continue to our south of the city–and with the ground warm and air temps hovering at or just above freezing, the day’s “warmth” will cut into any accumulations there other than on grassy surfaces.
What today’s chill, snowflakes and chilly drops of rain may obscure is just how our area’s vegetation continues to reflect the move more deeply into the spring season. Flowers have emerged, buds on trees are unfolding into leaves and the march toward the area’s warm season is in full swing, the current chill aside.
For the latest weather updates, go to wgnv.com/weather.