Winter storm warning in effect for parts of northern Illinois

The National Weather Service stations in Chicago and the Quad Cities said Thursday morning a winter storm warning was in effect for Carroll, Whiteside, Ogle and McHenry counties while a winter advisory was in place for most other areas of northern Illinois.

The forecast for the winter storm remained accumulations of four to eight inches with north winds gusting up to 35 mph, which will cause blowing and drifting snow in open and rural areas.

Driving in those conditions is slippery.

Areas under the advisory might see two to four inches of snow, but wind conditions will be the same. Lee, DeKalb, Kane, La Salle, Putnam and Kendall fell under the winter weather advisory, the service said.

Schools in the Sauk Valley began calling off classes Wednesday evening, including Dixon Public Schools, Sterling Public Schools, Chadwick-Milledgeville and Forreston. The Rock Falls High School district and Polo schools initiated e-learning for the day.

The Regional Office of Education 47 postponed its Spelling Bee for Lee, Ogle and Whiteside Counties until 10 a.m. March 9. Michele S. Hopp of the regional office said it was the first time in 15 years the bee was postponed because of weather.

This story was updated at 9:12 a.m. Thursday.