April 20, 2024
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Winter snow left McHenry County roads ‘looking pretty bad’

6 to 8 inches of snow fell on the northern part of the state

By Shaw Local News Network
A Crystal Lake Department of Public Works snowplow clears snow Jan. 25, 2023, from Talismon Drive in Crystal Lake. Snow fell throughout the morning, leaving a fresh blanket of snow in McHenry County.

A Crystal Lake Department of Public Works snowplow clears snow Jan. 25, 2023, from Talismon Drive in Crystal Lake. An additional 4 to 7 inches are forecasted for Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, the National Weather Service said in a Winter Storm Warning for Boone, Lake, McHenry and Winnebago counties. (Gregory Shaver — gshaver@shawmedia.com/Gregory Shaver for Shaw Media )

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said it was busy with snow-related crashes Saturday during one of the heaviest snowfalls yet of the season, according to the National Weather Service.

Snow started moving through northern Illinois by mid-morning Saturday, with bands of snow moving through the region until early Sunday morning. A total of 6 to 8 inches of new snow were recorded in the area, according to the NWS.

With the snow came some slick roads. The sheriff’s office said there were too many working crashes for it to comment Saturday afternoon. But the person on the line confirmed that deputies had responded to many crashes, including cars in ditches, stemming from hazardous road conditions.

A final crash count stemming from the storm was not made available Sunday.

About 14 crashes were reported on Interstate 90 between Routes 31 and 23 as the snow came down, an Illinois State Police Tollway 15 District spokesman said Sunday.

A Huntley Fire Protection District spokesman said the district was not called out for any of those crashes in the village or its portion of the I-90 tollway.

Some of the heaviest snow formed over northern Illinois and along the Illinois-Wisconsin state line, NWS meteorologist Rafal Ogorek said.

“Roads are looking pretty bad in some spots,” Ogorek said Saturday. “We’re seeing some decent snowfall. If you have any nonessential travel plans, you might want to consider postponing.”

The sheriff’s office had issued a text alert earlier in the day repeating the weather service’s winter storm warning, which said the McHenry County could get between 4 and 7 inches of snow.

Algonquin, Crystal Lake, McHenry, and Woodstock were among the municipalities included in the travel warning area, which cautioned drivers to “plan on snow covered roads and hazardous travel,” with the heaviest snow rates of 1 inch per hour taking place Saturday night.