Video:
Good Thursday morning! A few light snow showers across the central/northern part of the state this morning. These will continue to lift northeast this morning.
A winter storm WARNING is now in effect from this evening through Friday evening for northern portions of the state, where significant snow accumulation is likely:
Here is the forecast radar from 4pm CT today to 11PM Friday. Moderate to heavy snow will fall in northern parts of the state. Snow will continue here all day long Friday, before gradually easing Friday evening.
Snow amounts of 8-12″ are looking LIKELY for the Chicago metro area to Rockford, with some areas seeing localized higher amounts. A SHARP southerly cut-off to the snows. For areas along this gradient, a 10-25 mile shift will make the difference from no snow vs. several inches, so it will be important to monitor updates. Here is our forecast:
Expect a sharp gradient in temperatures Friday from a mild southern half of the state, to a much colder north!
Need to watch the weekend for a wintry mix as colder air moves in at the surface, but a southwest flow aloft will bring in some moisture+warmer air on top of us. This leads to the concern for freezing rain for parts of the state. Saturday evening/night looks like the most likely time-frame. Areas further north see some additional snow. We should clear out Sunday afternoon. Certainly keep close watch to the forecast if you have weekend travel plans across the state.
