Winter storm watch calls for icy conditions across northern Illinois

Morning commuters will want to take notice: A winter storm watch is in effect beginning Thursday morning for parts of northern Illinois, as ice and heavy snow are possible.

A period of freezing rain and sleet transitioning to wet, heavy falling snow are possible in Lee, DeKalb, Will, Kane, DuPage, La Salle, Kendall, Grundy, Livingston and Cook counties, where a winter storm watch has been put into place from 3 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday.

Ice accumulations of one to two tenths of an inch and total snow accumulations of 3 to 7 inches are possible, according to the National Weather Service in Chicago. Little to no ice accumulations are expected farther north into McHenry and Lake counties, as rain is expected to transition into sleet and snow between 3 and 4 a.m.

Farther west, snow accumulations could reach 4 to 6 inches and ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch are possible in Lee, Bureau and Putnam counties, where a winter storm watch is in effect from midnight Thursday to 6 p.m. Thursday.

After high temperatures in the lower 50s Wednesday, rain is expected after 5 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. That rain will turn into freezing rain sometime before 5 a.m.

Conditions will turn blustery, with a north-northeast wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.

Snow is expected to taper off at about 9 p.m. Thursday, as low temperatures will fall into single digits.

Mostly sunny skies are predicted Friday with a high temperature in the 30s; more of the same is expected Saturday; and high temperatures could reach the 40s by Sunday.

The Illinois Department of Transportation said while driving in icy conditions, motorists should avoid travel whenever possible, drive slowly, accelerate and decelerate slowly, increase following distances to 5 or 6 seconds, and avoid sudden stops.