Spring is in full swing in the Chicago area, with weather forecasts for snow and storms over the next couple of days.
Tuesday morning got off to a wet start for some, with pockets of drizzle and rain to the west and north, the NBC 5 Storm team said. Later Tuesday morning and early afternoon, periods of rain in western Illinois are expected to move east, Roman said, with the potential for high winds and a few isolated storms.
Around 4 p.m., some of these showers could quickly change to or mix with light snow. According to NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman, light accumulations of slushy snow could develop in Chicago’s far north counties.
Between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., northern and western counties are expected to continue to see rain mixing with sleet, which could hamper travel for the afternoon commute, Roman said . During Wednesday morning’s commute, more snow was expected across the region.
“Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. we could see some snow showers as that area of low pressure will continue to circulate that colder air,” Roman said, adding that rain mixed with light snow could last until ‘to Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier this week, the NBC 5 Storm team predicted that upcoming spring snow could measure up to 3 inches in some areas.
Storms and rain also on the agenda
Further south, strong winds between 45 and 55 mph could be expected starting Tuesday around 12 p.m. and lasting through the afternoon. Even stronger winds are expected to pick up in the afternoon, Roman said, especially in southern and northwest Indiana, where a wind advisory will be in effect from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
“Gusts of wind may blow around unsecured objects,” the NWS said in an alert. “Tree branches could be destroyed by the wind and some power outages could result.”
In these same areas, isolated afternoon thunderstorms with frequent lightning and winds up to 60 miles per hour could occur.
On Thursday, rain remains forecast in the morning and afternoon, Roman said. On Friday, however, things should be clear.
“Finally, after Thursday, that’s when we should start to see a break in this very active weather pattern,” Roman said.
Temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to stay in the low to mid 30s, Roman said, with some areas to the south remaining closer to 40 degrees.
NBC Chicago
