WINTER STORM WARNING: 4 TO 8 INCHES, 10 INCHES PLUS IN SOME LOCALIZED AREAS

Isolated snowfall depths higher than 4-8 inches especially near Lake Michigan shoreline. Snowfall is expected to be heaviest during afternoon and evening rush hour.

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
1045 AM CST THU JAN 12 2012

...SNOW AND STRONG WINDS TO DEVELOP TODAY LINGERING INTO
TONIGHT...

MCHENRY-LAKE IL-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK-KENDALL-WILL-LAKE IN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WOODSTOCK...WAUKEGAN...AURORA...
WHEATON...CHICAGO...OSWEGO...JOLIET...GARY
1045 AM CST THU JAN 12 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST FRIDAY...



THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST FRIDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO
LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING WITH THE
  HEAVIEST FALLING THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE LIKELY
  ACROSS THE AREA BY EARLY TONIGHT. ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE
  POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION OF
  AROUND 1 INCH PER HOUR IS POSSIBLE FROM MID AFTERNOON INTO EARLY
  EVENING.

* HAZARDS...IN ADDITION TO THE FALLING SNOW...WINDS WILL INCREASE
  TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH LATE THIS AFTERNOON RESULTING
  IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...ESPECIALLY IN OUTLYING AND OPEN
  AREAS. WIND CHILLS ARE ALSO FORECAST TO DROP TO ZERO TO 10 BELOW
  BY FRIDAY MORNING.

* IMPACTS...ACCUMULATING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES WILL LIKELY
  MAKE TRAVEL TREACHEROUS FOR THE AFTERNOON COMMUTE TODAY...WITH
  TRAVEL CONDITIONS REMAINING DANGEROUS AND TREACHEROUS TONIGHT
  INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS. HEAVY
  SNOWFALL RATES OF AROUND 1 INCH PER HOUR MAY MAKE IT DIFFICULT
  FOR SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS TO KEEP UP IN SOME AREAS LATE THIS
  AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW
ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN
EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.