Severe winter weather is expected across the WNIJ listening area starting tonight.
The storm system is coming down from Montana and is expected to arrive around the dinner hour this evening.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for DeKalb, Winnebago, Boone, Ogle, Lee, McHenry, LaSalle, Grundy, Kane, and Kendall Counties from 6 p.m. Thursday until 6 p.m. Friday. Furthermore, Rockford, South Beloit, and Beloit already have declared snow emergencies. NIU staff meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste says to expect heavy snowfall overall.
"At this point, we are looking at 7 to 11 inches, with a few areas getting a little more than that and it looks like the heaviest snow could track right through Rockford, DeKalb, and Chicago," he said.
The snow is expected to come in three waves starting with tonight’s storm. That will be followed by another storm tomorrow afternoon through evening, and then a third going into Saturday morning. The National Weather Service predicts tomorrow’s driving conditions will range from poor to impossible, and conditions will improve only marginally during the afternoon and evening hours.
Snow Emergencies:
Beloit: 8:00 p.m. Thursday, February 8 to 8:00 p.m. Saturday, February 10
South Beloit: 5:00 p.m Thursday, February 8, to 12:00 p.m, February 11
Rockford: Begins 6:00 p.m. Thursday, February 8
Closings:
Kishwaukee Collegeis closing at 5 p.m. tonight.
Northern Illinois University is canceling classes and university offices are closed for Friday, Feb. 9. at all locations, but events to commemorate Feb. 14, 2008 will continue as scheduled.