Icy streets possible after overnight freezing rain

The city redeployed its fleet of plows to salt neighborhood streets early Tuesday ahead of the morning commute, which could be impacted by overnight freezing rain.

A freezing rain advisory was in effect for all Chicago-area counties in Illinois counties until 6 a.m., the National Weather Service office in Romeoville said.

Switch problems caused delays on Metra’s Union Pacific/North Line Tuesday morning. Train No. 309, which was scheduled to arrive in Kenosha at 8:18 a.m., is running 18 to 23 minutes behind schedule because od switch problems at Lake Street, Metra said in a service alert on its website.

Less than a tenth of an inch of ice was expected to accumulate overnight, but that’s still enough to leave untreated roads and walkways slippery, the weather service said. Drivers should slow down and take extra precautions, as travel may be difficult.

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation redeployed its full fleet of 280 plows to salt neighborhood and side streets shortly before 2:30 a.m., the department said in a statement.

About 190 fights were canceled Monday at O’Hare and Midway airports, though largely because of what is predicted to be historically bad weather for the East Coast.

The blizzard, expected for several states on the East Coast, is expected to drop anywhere from 18-24 inches of snow between Monday and Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.