Snow sweeps northern Illinois with highest snowfall so far in Plainfield, Downers Grove

Winter weather isn’t going anywhere, the National Weather Service said, after snow made for slick and slushy roads Tuesday.

Off and on snow is likely to continue across the over the next few days followed by even colder temperatures with wind chills Friday and Saturday night approaching or even dropping below zero, the National Weather Service said on Twitter.

The highest snow totals in the Chicago region, as of about 8 a.m., were along a narrow line from Plainfield to La Grange, the National Weather Service said

Plainfield and Naperville had 3.5 inches of snow with 3.1 inches in Downers Grove and 2.7 inches in La Grange Park, the agency said.

O’Hare International Airport saw 0.9 inches by noon Tuesday, Rockford’s airport 1.3 inches, the National Weather Service office in Romeoville 1 inch and Chicago Midway International Airport 0.7 inches, the National Weather Service reported.

Above freezing surface temps have helped melt a lot of the morning’s initial accumulations and have kept roads wet, the agency reported, advising drivers Tuesday morning to check road conditions before driving, to slow down and increase following distance when driving, and to be especially careful on bridges and overpasses.

A winter weather advisory in effect Tuesday morning was lifted by the afternoon for Bureau, La Salle, southern Will and Putnam counties.

McHenry, Lake, DuPage, and northern and central Cook counties could see 2 to 5 inches – perhaps closer to 6 inches in some spots across interior portions of Lake, northwest Cook and McHenry counties – through 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to an advisory that remained in effect there.

Snow fall rates may exceed 1 inch per hour from late Tuesday afternoon to early Wednesday morning due to lake effect snow showers, the National Weather Service said, advising drivers to plan on slippery road conditions during parts of the Tuesday morning and evening commutes.

Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, southern Cook and northern Will counties could see 1 to 3 inches through midnight overnight into Wednesday, the advisory states.

Whiteside and Carroll counties could see 1 to 3 inches through 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to the advisory.

Snow is forecasted for the region through Thursday with gusty snow showers possible for Wednesday and Thursday before temperatures drop on Friday.

On Tuesday morning, Joliet had 1.2 inches of snow, Rockdale had 1.7 inches and Mokena, New Lenox and Romeoville had about 1 inch of snow, said Jake Petr, National Weather Service meteorologist.

Petr said the northern part of Will County, such as Plainfield, had the most snow.

“As you move south through the county, totals start to decrease,” Petr said.

Petr said Will County and northeast Illinois in general may see dusty snow showers on Wednesday from late morning until early evening.

“It will be off and on snow that results in a quick dusting and drop in visibility,” Petr said.