"Rain continues to fall over much of the Chicago area this afternoon," ABC7 Meteorologist Mike Caplan said. That can mean slick streets and sidewalks across the area. "Untreated surfaces mainly north of 88/290 are at greatest risk of icing over as temperatures hover near freezing in those areas."
As much as a tenth an inch of ice could accumulate in some areas. Drivers are warned that roads that appear to be wet may actually be frozen over with a glaze of ice.
Dense fog advisories expired at 3 p.m. for most of the Chicago area, but some spots south of the city and in northwest Indiana could see dense fog through Friday evening. While still possible, the risk of additional freezing rain and drizzle fizzles out after dark Friday.
"The bigger storm system is on the way for the weekend," Caplan said. A Winter Storm Watch goes into effect Saturday at 6 p.m. and remains in place through Sunday 6 p.m. for Boone, DeKalb, Kane, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Ogle and Winnebago counties in Illinois and Racine and Kenosha counties in Wisconsin.
"The exact track of the low pressure storm system is still being refined by computer models, but the most likely scenario continues to favor areas well north and west of Chicago for the greatest snowfall late Saturday night through Sunday morning," Caplan said.
The combination of snowmelt and rain could cause some flooding problems, and a Flood Watch is in effect Saturday afternoon and evening for areas south of the Kankakee River.
Further north in Wisconsin, as much as four to nine inches could fall Saturday night into Sunday morning. The highest amounts are expected from Darlington to Whitewater to Waukesha and Port Washington, according to the National Weather Service.
Additional light snow or flurries are possible later Sunday and even Monday, but would have only minimal impact.
