Science & Nature
Wintry Mix of Sleet, Snow and Rain Will Make for Slippery Conditions Thursday; Threat of High Waves, Lakefront Flooding
(Dan Lambert / WTTW News)
Winter isn’t done with Chicago yet.
A mix of sleet, rain and snow will create slippery conditions Thursday, getting messier as the day goes on, according to the Chicago office of the National Weather Service.
A winter weather advisory has been issued for 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Chicago area, though it’s likely there will be breaks in the precipitation, especially in the city, meteorologists said. The bigger impact will be on the evening commute.
Strong northeast winds will create high, battering waves of 10 to 14 feet. A lakeshore flood advisory has been issued for Cook County and Northwest Indiana, with the greatest threat occuring between 3 p.m. Thursday through 6 a.m. Friday. The weather service is warning people to steer clear of lakefront parks and trails, including Chicago's lakefront path.
Further north, toward the Wisconsin border, blowing snow is expected to affect visibility, prompting the weather service to issue a winter storm warning for areas including Rockford and Waukegan.
Snow total predictions vary from 2 to 5 inches, but the real issue will be slick pavement, regardless of how much snow falls, according to the weather service.
Here are the latest details:
(2/5) Here is a look at our latest snow, sleet, and ice accumulation forecast. Keep in mind many untreated roadways will become slick regardless of snow and ice amounts. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/v9LeH462Ln
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) February 16, 2023
(4/5) Strong northeast to north winds will lead to large waves that may flood parks and trails along the Lake Michigan shoreline this afternoon and tonight. Stay dry when waves are high! #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/CuGXUNQnsh
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) February 16, 2023
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