Heavy snow moving back in Thursday evening

 9pm: UPDATE: Winter Storm Warnings have expired for the following counties: Stephenson, Carroll, Whiteside, Jo Daviess, Rock and Green.

Drier air moving into north-central Illinois late Thursday afternoon created an environment for freezing drizzle to develop, most of which stayed south of Rockford. But we are now beginning to see a heavier band of snow moving in from the west, expected to impact the region throughout the evening.

Visibility has fallen under this snow band to a mile or less in some locations. Temperatures earlier in the day were closer to 30 degrees, if not just above, with the first round of snow that moved in. As a result, the snow was very heavy and wet creating quite a bit of slush on some of the area roads.

Temperatures now have now fallen into the middle and upper 20s. This will result in any snow that either melted, or was removed, to quickly pile back up on the roads. The snow will also be a little lighter than the snow from the morning, causing it to continue to blow and drift - especially in open areas. 

An additional 1-3 inches of snow remains possible with this last band moving through, adding on to the already 2-6 inches of snow we've received from

today. Gusty north winds, up to 30 mph, continue through the evening with gusts decreasing to 20-25 mph overnight. Blowing and drifting snow will remain a concern, even after the snow has come to end, through the overnight. Continue to use caution if you're out this evening and be mindful that slick conditions will last through Friday morning.