Winter Weather Advisory Issued For Late Friday

Lake Effect Snow Batters NW Indiana

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The Chicago is hardly out the woods when it comes to Old Man Winter's early season wrath.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for blowing and drifting snow from 4 p.m. Friday to 9 a.m. Saturday.

Winds approaching 20 25 mph and gusts near 35 mph will produce considerable blowing and drifting snow and blizzard like conditions that will reduce visibility to near zero in open and rural areas.

A Wind Chill Advisory is also in effect for several cities in the viewing area through 10 a.m. Friday.

Wind chill values could sink to as low as 10 to 25 degrees overnight Thursday with Friday's high temperatures reaching only 16 degrees. Frigid temps will remain for the weekend with a high of 30 degrees expected Saturday and only 16 degrees on Sunday.

Already covered by a two day (and counting) snowfall Chicago area counties along the lake saw several more inches Thursday evening.

A Lake Effect Snow Warning was issued for Northwest Indiana until 6 a.m. Friday.

Visibility was severely limited Thursday evening by white out conditions and several spinouts and accidents were reported on the snow covered roads.

By midday Thursday Gurnee was the snowfall total leader with 18 inches reported. Fifteen inches were reported in Highwood and 12.8 inches fell in Elk Grove Village. In Indiana 7.7 inches was recorded in Valparaiso and 6.4 inches reported in Porter.

Looking ahead to next week Monday's high is predicted to reach 2 and nighttime lows could drop to 12.

The chill persists Tuesday as temperatures remain at 0 degrees and 5 overnight.

Wind chill values will plunge even lower the NWS predicts and Chicago officials warn of the dangerous effects.

The current snowfall and extreme cold temperatures expected next week pose significant health risks to residents Dr. Suzet McKinney said Thursday.

The deputy commissioner for Preparedness and Emergency Response at the city's Department of Public Health urged residents to avoid unnecessary trips outside work slowly and take frequent breaks when shoveling snow don t try to lift more snow than you can handle and wear several layers.

Be sure to cover your face ears and hands McKinney said.

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