Weekend Snow Update

Winter Storm Watches have been upgraded to Winter Storm Warnings for many areas. Jo Daviess, Carroll, Whiteside, and Lee counties are included in the Winter Storm Warning(pink). A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Stephenson County(purple). The Winter Storm Watch continues for Ogle and DeKalb counties(blue).

This system has high bust potential, with such a tight gradient of snow expected on the northern edge of the system. As the forecast stands now, the heaviest snow will fall near the Quad Cities and near the Mississippi River, and will drastically drop the farther east that you go. In Freeport I think a few inches are possible, while closer to Rockford around an inch is likely. However, the area in between the dashed lines is the area with the highest uncertainty in regards to snow totals. The farther east you go, expect little to no accumulation. Heaviest snow is possible near the Sterling area.

It's possible for the system's track to change, and we will make sure to continue to update the forecast this evening. With the low pressure moving on shore earlier this morning, we will now have more information to feed into our models, which will help with a more accurate forecast.

In the areas of heavier snow there are a few things you can expect. Heavy snow combined with a gusty easterly wind will reduce visibility through the morning and afternoon. The gusty winds will also allow the snow to stick to signs and even power lines, which could cause power issues. This type of snow is often referred to as 'heart attack snow' due to the heavy wet nature of it. If you get enough snow to shovel, you'll want to take a lot of breaks.

The timing of the snow looks to arrive in the evening, around midnight, and will last mostly into tomorrow late morning. The far southwest areas of the Stateline will hold onto the threat for snow through the afternoon. Recent model runs have shifted this system to the southwest however, and that trend could continue with model runs this evening as well. Recent runs have greatly reduced the amount of snow Rockford will see.

We will continue to update you though as we get closer to the snow arrival. Stay tuned for more updates!