A Winter Weather Watch calling for 3 to 7-inches of heavy wet snow is in effect Thursday for counties adjacent to the Illinois-Wisconsin border – including Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake and Ogle Counties. A Winter Weather Advisory for 2 to 4-inches accumulation likely (purple-shaded area on headlined map) is in effect for counties farther south to Interstate-80. The city of Chicago lies in a projected zone of 1 to 3-inches snow – more north and less south portions. As the weather system approaches our area a wintry mix of rain, sleet , even some freezing rain and snow will ensue early morning impacting the morning commute, changing over to accumulating snow during the forenoon Thursday. Primarily rain is expected farther south of Interstate-80.

 Winter Storm Watches and Warnings are in effect to north across southern Wisconsin and west into Iowa. Snow will end from the west here Thursday evening, possibly depositing an inch or so snow in NW Indiana before ending there later at night.

The entire Chicago area will remain under a Wind Advisory (brown-shaded areas on headlined map) until noon today (Wednesday) – expecting southwest winds 20 with possible gusts as high as 50 mph.

The center of low pressure moving NE out of the Texas Panhandle will track through central and southern Illinois Thursday with rain transitioning to a wintery mix of rain, sleet and snow over our area – then moving on to New England Friday.