Snow overnight makes for a dicey commute Monday morning as roads in and around Chicago are covered with ice and snow.
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Road conditions maps on the Illinois Department of Transportation website show many roads in Chicago and its suburbs as partly or mostly covered with ice or snow Monday morning. Areas further north and west have even more ice and snow coverage, according to the maps. The Chicago area is under a winter weather advisory until 1 p.m.
Maria Castaneda, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Transportation, said to expect “slushy, wet conditions” on the roads and highways. Plows were deployed to clear the roads.
Castaneda said what looks like wetness on the roads can actually be slick, icy patches — especially on bridges, overpasses, intersections and ramps. Drivers may also experience drifting snow. Castaneda warned that this morning’s road conditions create the possibility for spin-offs.
“What we do want to remind drivers is if you’re out today to definitely take it slower than you think you need to,” Castaneda said. “Give yourself plenty of room to stop.”
Jake Petr, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said a heavy band of snow moved across northern Illinois and northwest Indiana overnight. Rockford and its surrounding areas received the highest amounts of snow at about five inches. The weather service measured around one inch of snow at O’Hare International Airport and two inches at its Romeoville office, Petr said, adding that most of the snow has passed.
“We’re really just expecting occasional scattered snow showers through the rest of the day today where you could get kind of an additional coating of snow,” Petr said.
It’s normal for Chicago to get snow in March. In recent decades, the city has seen an average of over five inches for the month.
Flight travel on Monday has also been impacted. So far, 377 flights have been canceled and 249 flights have been delayed at O’Hare, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. At Midway International Airport, 32 flights have been canceled and 116 were delayed.
Throughout Monday, those in the metro can expect wind gusts over 30 miles per hour and temperatures in the low to mid-20s, Petr said. Once the sun sets, temperatures will drop into the single digits in the suburbs and the lower teens in the city.
With such low temperatures, Castaneda said that roads may freeze back up even after being treated with salt to melt the ice and snow.