A storm with accumulating snow is blanketing Northern Illinois after starting early Saturday morning and is expected to continue through the evening with peak snowfalls in the late afternoon.

Rates of snow Saturday morning ranged from about a quarter-of-an-inch to half-an-inch per hour. From noon to 8 p.m., rates could peak to about an inch per hour with southeast winds reaching up to 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service. The highest amounts of snow are expected to hit northwest of a line from Ottawa to Aurora to Waukegan.

In total, an estimated 7 to 11 inches are expected west of Cook, Will, Kankakee, Ford and Iroquios counties. The NWS reports a possibility that snow could mix or turn into a drizzle east of Interstate 55 as far as north of I-88 later in the evening.

The winter storm warning remains in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday for Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, La Salle, Kendall, Grundy, Kankakee, Livingston, Cook and Will counties.

The Illinois Tollway advises travelers to take it slow and leave plenty of room for plows. The Tollway’s full fleet of 196 plows were scheduled to be on the 294-mile system Saturday, according to a news release.

“Our crews mobilized as this storm approached and will be out on the road plowing, spreading deicing materials and helping stranded drivers,” Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said. “We’re asking our customers to do their part to travel safely by reducing their speed, steering clear of other vehicles and staying alert for varying pavement conditions.”

If in need of roadside assistance, drivers should dial *999 and remain in their vehicles until help arrives, according to the Illinois Tollway release.

A statewide “Move Over Law” requires drivers to change lanes or to slow down when passing any vehicle on the side of the road with hazard lights on.

Road condition updates are available at GettingAroundIllinois.com.

A crash was reported in Crystal Lake at approximately 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning that downed traffic signals at Route 31 and Three Oaks Road, according to a City of Crystal Lake Nixle alert.

The snow affected the Illinois High School Association’s championship football games that were scheduled for Saturday at Illinois State University. Those games are rescheduled for Tuesday night.

Other cancellations and closures were starting to come in. The McHenry Outdoor Theater, for example, made the decision to close Saturday due to the storm.

Into the week, another snow system could follow late Monday afternoon and into Tuesday morning, followed by a temperature drop into the low 20s Tuesday, according to the NWS.

The NWS reminds people to take safe precautions while shoveling wet, heavy snow that can cause back injuries and heart attacks. Dress warmly, stay hydrated, move small amounts of snow at a time and take frequent breaks.