State

Subzero temperatures on the way Monday as northern Illinois digs out of weekend snow

Cars traverse limited visibility and wet roads as they travel on Walkup Road near Prairie Ridge High School on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. Snow fell throughout the morning, leaving a fresh blanket of snow in McHenry County.

While most of northern Illinois digs out of Saturday’s snowfall that recorded in parts nearly half a foot of snow overnight into Sunday, area residents should brace for frigid temperatures into Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

The subzero temperatures are likely here to stay into most of the coming week.

“We’re entering a colder pattern for this week, every day this week looks to be below normal temperatures for late January, early February,” said meteorologist Matt Friedlein midday Sunday. “We haven’t had a weeklong stretch like that below normal temperatures in a while, since Christmas.”

Another chance of snow flurries is likely Sunday night into Monday, though isn’t expected to bring any more accumulation, he said. A chance of a light dusting of snow starting around 10 p.m. Sunday could make some roads slick, as low temperatures reach 10 degrees in much of the region. The flurries will start in central Illinois from Indiana and likely move up all the way to the Wisconsin state line.

Over the past 24 hours, the heaviest snow fell closer to the Illinois-Wisconsin border, according to the National Weather Service. Parts of McHenry County including Crystal Lake saw between 6 to 8 inches of snow. The northern parts of DeKalb and Kane counties, and some of Kane County saw between 4 to 6 inches of snow. Ogle County saw between 3 to 6 inches of snow, while Lee County recorded between 2 to 3 inches.

South of Interstate 80, including parts of Will and La Salle counties, saw a slippery mix of snow, rain and ice Saturday, resulting in not much measurable accumulation but treacherous road conditions, said Friedlein.

Road conditions deteriorated quickly Saturday into Sunday in many areas across the region.

Temperatures will hold around 18 to 23 degrees for northern Illinoisans Sunday, and drop swiftly Monday, expecting to reach only highs of 9 to 15 degrees into the work week.

“It’s pretty chilly,” Friedlein said. “Normal highs are in the 30s around this time of year. Monday night if the clouds clear, and there’s still some uncertainty, it looks like the whole area will be below zero.”

While frigid temperatures are here to stay for the week, weather patterns show the area will stay largely dry, with no extra accumulation expected, Friedlein said.

Kelsey Rettke

Kelsey Rettke

Kelsey Rettke is the editor of the Daily Chronicle, part of Shaw Media and DeKalb County's only daily newspaper devoted to local news, crime and courts, government, business, sports and community coverage. Kelsey also covers breaking news for Shaw Media Local News Network.