A significant winter storm is battering northern and north-central Illinois on Monday morning, bringing blizzard conditions in some areas and hazardous travel across a wide stretch of the region.

Multiple weather alerts are in effect until 1 p.m. Two Blizzard Warnings cover the hardest-hit areas: one issued by the National Weather Service in Chicago for Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, Lee, and DeKalb counties, and a second from the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities covering Whiteside and Bureau counties, along with portions of northwest and west-central Illinois, where winds are gusting as high as 55 mph.

Winter Weather Advisories cover a broad swath to the east and south. Lake, Kane, DuPage, La Salle, Kendall, and northern Cook counties can expect 1 to 3 additional inches of snow and gusts to 45 mph, with bridges and overpasses particularly at risk of becoming slick. Grundy, Livingston, Southern Cook and Will counties, including Chicago, Joliet and surrounding communities, are under a separate advisory calling for up to 2 additional inches and similar wind conditions.

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Across all warned areas, blowing snow will sharply reduce visibility, particularly in open areas, and hazardous conditions will impact the Monday morning commute.

The storm’s worst conditions are expected through about 9 a.m., with snowfall rates peaking between 1 and 2 inches per hour near and west of the Interstate 39 corridor. Areas under Blizzard Warnings can expect an additional 3 to 6 inches before the storm ends, with the highest totals near and west of I-39. Advisory areas farther east will see 1 to 3 additional inches, depending on location.

Snow is expected to taper from south to north between 7 and 10 a.m., but strong northwesterly winds will continue reducing visibility well into the afternoon, with scattered snow showers also possible later Monday.

Wind chills will remain in the single digits to low teens throughout the day, dropping further overnight, with some areas seeing wind chills between 0 and 15 below zero by daybreak Tuesday. Actual high temperatures on Monday will only reach the low to mid-20s.

A fast-moving clipper system is then forecast to bring another round of snow Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with accumulations ranging from under an inch to as much as 2 to 4 inches. A warming trend is expected to follow, with highs in the 50s and 60s possible by the end of the week.

Road conditions for Illinois can be found at gettingaroundillinois.com. In the Blizzard Warning area, travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must drive, carry a winter survival kit and remain in your vehicle if stranded.