Chicago Area Braces for Hazardous Conditions as Winter Storm Impacts Commute
A powerful winter storm continues to grip the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana, bringing hazardous travel conditions and widespread disruptions. While a Winter Storm Warning for central Cook County, including the city of Chicago, was downgraded to a Winter Weather Advisory around 5 a.m. Monday, warnings remain in effect for much of the region, with snowfall rates potentially reaching 3 inches per hour.
The unseasonable fall snowstorm, characterized by intense lake-effect snow, began impacting the area as early as 8 p.m. Sunday, intensifying overnight with occasional thunderclaps. Accumulations have been significant across Cook County and extending into Northwest Indiana. Residents are urged to check for school closings, flight delays, CTA service updates, and Metra schedules before beginning their day.
A mesolow – a small low-pressure system – exacerbated the situation, spreading the snowfall more broadly. As of 4:30 a.m. Monday, the north suburbs, stretching from Kenosha, Wisconsin, south through Lake County, were experiencing snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. While downtown Chicago briefly saw a lull in the storm, more lake-effect snow is anticipated before the system dissipates.
The most severe conditions are concentrated south of Chicago and in Northwest Indiana, where some areas have already reported double-digit snow totals and wind gusts up to 50 mph. The lake-effect snow is expected to become more localized mid-morning through the afternoon, shifting from west to east around the lake. Despite the breaking up of the snow, total accumulations are still expected to reach 4 to 6 inches widely, with localized totals potentially reaching 8 to 10 inches, and isolated areas seeing up to 12 to 14 inches, particularly near the lake shore.
Travel is proving extremely dangerous. According to one Indiana State Police sergeant, commuters should “not plan on getting to where you’re going anytime soon,” and should “expect it to take extra time.” Motorists are advised to carry water, food, and blankets in case of becoming stranded, and to remain in their vehicles if involved in a crash until first responders arrive. Visibility has dropped to near-zero in some areas, particularly under heavier snow bands.
The impact on transportation is substantial. O’Hare International Airport was closed to non-scheduled operations overnight, resulting in the cancellation of 239 flights, while Midway International Airport has canceled 130 flights. Express buses are not running on DuSable Lake Shore Drive, and some expressways are reported to be impassable, particularly I-57 south of Chicago and I-65 in Indiana where overhead lighting is limited. Numerous vehicles have become stranded.
Local authorities are actively working to manage the storm. The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed its snow plow fleet overnight, with over 250 salt spreaders operating throughout Sunday night and Monday morning. Residents can track the snow fleet’s progress at chicagoshovels.org.
The Winter Storm Warning remains in effect through noon Monday for affected parts of Cook County and eastern Will County. Kankakee County is under a warning until noon Monday as well, while Lake and Porter counties in Indiana are under a warning through 6 p.m. Monday. LaPorte County, Indiana, has been under a warning since midday Sunday, continuing until midnight Tuesday morning. A warning is also in effect for Lake County, Illinois, until 6 a.m. Monday, and a Winter Weather Advisory is in place for DuPage and western Will counties in Illinois, as well as Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana.
As the storm continues, residents are urged to exercise extreme caution and heed all warnings from local authorities. Hazardous to life-threatening travel conditions are possible throughout the morning, and conditions will remain challenging even as the storm begins to subside.
