Increasing winds and falling temperatures will create dangerous driving conditions through Thursday night

A strong Arctic cold front is currently moving through northwest Illinois as of 5:30pm and will clear most of the Stateline by 8pm. Behind the front temperatures have quickly fallen into the low 20s. Northwest winds have also increased with the arrival of the cold air, gusting to near 40 mph from Galena down to Sterling. 

Temperatures will continue to drop as the cold front moves from west to east. The snow from earlier Thursday was more wet and heavy, due to temperatures in the low to mid 30s. But the incoming snow behind the cold front is a lot lighter. This will cause the snow to easily blow around as it falls through the sky, as well as while it is on the ground.

There have been several accidents already reported in Whiteside County on I-88 as a result of the combination of the snow, wind and colder temperatures. These conditions will spread east through the majority of the Stateline as the cold front passes.

While there have been some improvements in visibility locally, visibility has fallen once again back west. Most of the snow will be wrapping up by 9pm, with only a few flurries or light snow showers lingering into the overnight. Winds, however, will remain strong through Friday morning from the West. Blowing and drifting snow, especially in the open and rural areas, will be a concern for the morning commute. West winds remain breezy throughout the afternoon with patchy blowing snow lasting into the evening. Highs on Friday will only warm into the mid teens with wind chills falling to around -10 degrees by daybreak. Wind chills through the rest of the afternoon will remain below zero.