A winter storm could bring up to 7 inches of snow and 45 mph winds to the Chicago area between Wednesday and Thursday mornings, according to a winter storm warning posted by the National Weather Service.
A mixture of rain and snow could begin to fall as early 6 a.m. Wednesday in Cook County, with a transition to snow leading to heavy snowfall later in the afternoon, according to the warning, which is in effect from 9 a.m. Wednesday until 4 a.m. Thursday.
The heavy wet snow in southern Cook and eastern Will counties will make travel very dangerous, and motorists should avoid the roadways if possible, according to the NWS. Strong winds up to 45 mph could cause shoreline flooding and decreased visibility near the lake.
The snow will be densest in the south suburbs and northwest Indiana, which may see up to 9 inches show and white-out conditions with near zero visibility, according to the weather service.
The City of Chicago announced Tuesday night that 140 trucks will be deployed to maintain clear streets.
