Chicago weather: Snow, falling temperatures begin week of colder weather

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Falling temperatures made for icy conditions on roads and sidewalks Sunday as Chicago's first significant snow of the season blanketed the area, with more snow and bitter cold to come.

"Wind chills by Monday morning are expected to be around 20-below zero and then maybe some more significant snow on Monday night," said ABC7 Eyewitness News meteorologist Phil Schwarz.

A winter storm watch is in effect for the following counties:

ILLINOIS

-Boone; Cook; De Kalb; DuPage; Grundy; Kane; Kendall; La Salle; Lake; Lee; Livingston; McHenry; Ogle; Will and Winnebago counties until noon Monday.

-Kankakee county until 6 a.m. Tuesday.

INDIANA

-Jasper; Lake; Newton and Porter counties until 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Wind chill advisories have also been issued for the following counties:

ILLINOIS

-Boone; Cook; De Kalb; DuPage; Grundy; Kane; Kendall; La Salle; Lake; Lee; Livingston; McHenry; Ogle; Will and Winnebago counties until noon Monday.

WISCONSIN

-Columbia; Dane; Dodge; Fond Du Lac; Green Lake; Jefferson; Kenosha; Marquette; Milwaukee; Ozaukee; Racine; Sauk; Sheboygan; Walworth; Washington and Waukesha counties until noon Monday.

WATCH: ABC7 First Alert Forecast

The snow is one component of the winter weather with the other being some dangerous bitter cold moving in and it comes on a busy travel day as people head home from the holidays.

The snowy weather is being blamed for several traffic accidents across the Chicago area Sunday afternoon, especially in the north suburbs.

The Illinois Department of Transportation put 400 of its salt trucks on the highways starting Saturday night, first to salt, then to plow. Sunday evening they are down to 300, but still hard at work and will be throughout the night.

"There is a high risk of black ice (Sunday night) due to the pavement being wet and the temperatures dropping so black ice will be likely and we just want to tell motorists to slow down and be very careful," said Carson Quinn, IDOT spokesperson.

Many people in the area spent the day clearing out the snow and preparing for more.

"I feel like it gets pushed back every year, so you just have to wait for it and change with it," said Anik Shah.

It probably will get worse as bitter cold reminiscent of last year's polar vortex returns. Temperatures are expected to stay well below freezing in the next few days and strong winds mean dangerous wind chills.

WINTER WEATHER CANCELS, DELAYS FLIGHTS

O'Hare International Airport is experiencing 40-60 minute inbound and outbound delays Sunday due to the area's weather conditions. There have also been 150 flights cancelled.

Midway has had no cancelations, but more than three dozen flights were delayed up to 40 minutes.

SUBURBAN SUMMIT RESIDENTS LOSE POWER

Off the roads, residents are also dealing with complications borne from the weather. In south suburban Summit, it wasn't the snow but the winds that knocked power out to about 1,700 people for several hours Sunday as the temperatures continued to drop.

The Carrillo family decided to pile up in their van and head someplace warm.

"We're going to the store and keep ourselves warm since they're no light and there's no point in being here," Elvia Carillo said.

Power was restored to residents just after 7 p.m. Sunday.