Hazardous road conditions, gusty winds and “powdery” snowfall has caused dozens of crashes on Chicago expressways and an interstate closure downstate involving “over 100 vehicles,” officials said.
As of 6 p.m., 2.8 inches of snow had been recorded at O’Hare and 3.4 inches were recorded near Midway Airport, said Mark Ratzer, National Weather Service meteorologist.
The weather service office in Romeoville recorded 3.7 inches of snow and 3.6 inches had fallen in Joliet by 5:30 p.m., Ratzer said. Farther west of Chicago in Somonauk, in DeKalb County, 4.3 inches were recorded at 5:20 p.m..
By 6:30 p.m., the heaviest snow was falling in the south suburbs and northwest Indiana, Ratzer said.
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“Snow will gradually be coming to an end here from west to east over the next couple hours,” Ratzer said about 6:30 p.m.
“We are seeing some gusty north winds between 20 and 30 miles an hour so some open areas may see a little bit of blowing or drifting of some of the snow. Some of the snow here late this afternoon has been a little bit on the powdery side.”
Meanwhile, Illinois State Police District Chicago in Cook County received more than 30 reports of crashes by 6 p.m. Thursday, most without injury, Trooper James Gawel said.
State police were only responding to crashes involving injuries or where a vehicle was non-driveable, Gawel said. Of the 30 reports, one had been an injury crash and between five and 10 were crashes resulting in non-driveable vehicles, he said.
Around 6:30 p.m., state troopers were en route to an additional 10 reported crashes in the Chicago metro area. Additional details about those crashes were not immediately available, Gawel said.
Downstate in El Paso, State Police responded to a multi-vehicle crash and as a result shut down southbound lanes on Interstate 39, according to a news release from Illinois State Police.
“Interstate 39 from Normal to Minonk will be closed for an extended period of time due to multiple crashes involving over 100 vehicles,” State Police said in an emailed statement, adding that people should avoid travel in the area unless it was an emergency..
Back on the lakeshore, Chicagoans can expect 30 to 40 mph winds and waves of 10 to 14 feet, meteorologist Zachary Yack said earlier. A lakeshore flood advisory was in effect, and there was a risk of freezing sidewalks along the lake.
People along the lakeshore “need to exercise caution if they can’t avoid that area,” Yack said earlier.
After the system tapers off on Thursday night, temperatures will dip into the low teens.
On Friday, temperatures will be right around freezing, while Saturday will be slightly cooler with temperatures in the 20s.
But rising temperatures are ahead by the end of the weekend.
“Sunday it’s going to be significantly warmer with temperatures in the 40s,” said NWS meteorologist Kevin Doom.