Latest on incoming winter storm Wednesday

 

The Winter Storm Watch has been upgraded to a Winter Weather Advisory for most of the viewing area, while a Winter Storm Warning is in place for Jo Daviess, Carroll, and Whiteside counties. The warning will begin at 6am Wednesday and the advisory will begin at 9am. Impactful snow can be expected as early as mid-morning Wednesday, lasting through most of the afternoon and early evening.

For the rest of Tuesday evening our skies will remain cloudy with a breeze from the northeast. Throughout the day that has pushed our wind chills in the single digits and teens, making it feel quite a bit cooler than the sun-filled and calm skies we had Monday. Conditions will remain dry through the evening as overnight lows slowly dip into the upper teens by daybreak Wednesday.

While the forecast remains mostly on track there has been a change to bump up the start for some of the accumulating snow, which could have a little bit of an impact on the morning commute. Snow showers will then spread from west to east during the morning becoming steady, and at times heavy, through the afternoon and early evening. Periods of heavier snow with snowfall rates of half an inch to an inch per hour can be expected during that time.

It looks like our main window for accumulating snow will occur from mid-morning through early evening where in total 4-6 inches can be expected. The storm track has shifted slightly from Monday which has caused some of the available moisture (to fall as snow) to come down just a bit. Regardless, the impacts will still be there with reduced visibility and slick roads, especially through the afternoon and early evening.

The snow won't be a heavy, wet snow but it also won't be a really light and fluffy snow. As northeast winds increase during the day there could be some blowing and drifting, especially in our more open and rural areas. As the evening progresses Wednesday the accumulating snowfall will slowly come to an end. Temperatures on Thursday will warm into the teens with overnight lows dipping below zero Thursday night.