Northern Illinois faces another round of potentially messy travel conditions Tuesday evening and again early Wednesday as a fast-moving weather system brings the threat of a brief glazing of ice, strong winds, followed by intense snow showers and squalls.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service say there is a narrow window between about 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday when parts of Ogle, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, DeKalb and Kane counties could see freezing rain. While confidence remains low, temperatures may hover just cold enough for a quick glaze of ice to form on untreated roads, sidewalks, and driveways, especially in areas where the ground is slow to warm. Any icing could impact the tail end of the evening commute.

The risk comes ahead of strengthening southwest winds that will gust up to 35 to 40 mph Tuesday night. A cold front will then surge across the region early Wednesday, flipping rain to bursts of snow and triggering what forecasters call a growing potential for hazardous snow squalls.

Snow squalls can create dangerous conditions in minutes, bringing sudden whiteout visibility, strong winds, and quick, slushy accumulations. The National Weather Service is warning that impacts to the Wednesday morning commute are becoming increasingly likely as the front races northwest to southeast across northern Illinois. Some locations could pick up a coating to an inch of snow in a very short period.

Behind the front, temperatures will fall into the upper 20s on Wednesday afternoon and drop into the teens overnight. Light snow showers may linger, and a brief burst of lake-effect snow could bring an additional inch or two to parts of northwest Indiana.

More clipper systems are expected Thursday through the weekend, with several chances for accumulating snow. A surge of arctic air will arrive over the weekend, potentially sending temperatures into the single digits or below zero with dangerously cold wind chills.

Drivers should stay alert for rapidly changing conditions and be prepared for both icy patches on Tuesday evening and sharp travel disruptions on Wednesday morning.