Winter Weather Update

IF YOU HAVE ANY SNOW REPORTS OR PICTURES PLEASE SEND THEM IN TO WEATHER@WTVO.COM

Low pressure continues to move east.  As it does things should quiet down for a little while before the wrap-around snow begins to move in later tonight/overnight.  The heavy snow that has been falling to the north will gradually shift east/southeast as the low pulls off to the east and move across southern Wisconsin.  Along the western side of the low blizzard conditions will continue for parts of Iowa, southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.  Brief periods of snowfall rates of one inch per hour could be possible.


Snow continues to shift eastward as cold air begins to move in across northern Illinois.  As temperatures remain right around the freezing mark the snow may start off as a heavy, wet snow but is expected to turn to a lighter snow later tonight as temperatures fall.


3:15pm Update: Area of low pressure now beginning to move into northwest Illinois with mostly rain falling east of I-39 and a wet snow falling to the west.  A Blizzard Warning is now in effect for Rock, Green and Walworth counties in southern Wisconsin.  The low will continue to move east pretty much right across northern Illinois and as it does we should start to see any rain that is falling change over to snow from west to east.  We may have a dry period later tonight as a dry slot moves in on the backside of this system.  Light to moderate snow will likely begin during the overnight as temperatures fall and winds pick up and continue into Sunday morning. 

Winter Storm Warning for Rock, Green and Walworth Counties in southern Wisconsin and Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, Lee and DeKalb in northern Illinois
Blizzard Warning for Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll and Whiteside Counties

NOW (7am): Look for patchy light freezing rain/drizzle to continue across portions of northern Illinois early this mroning...especially along and west of I-39 with a little ice accumulation possible.  Temperatures will slowly begin to rise throughout the morning changing any frozen precipitation into rain.  Roads, sidewalks, driveways may remain slippery so please use caution if going out this morning.

As this low passes later this afternoon rain will begin to change to snow from west to east as cold air rapidly moves in behind.  Winds will begin to gust from the northwest creating bitterly cold wind chills by Sunday evening.  Blowing and drifting snow will also be a concern, no matter what the snowfall totals are.