Chicago Weather: Winter storm could bring blizzard-like conditions
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A huge winter storm moving through Chicago this weekend may dump more than a foot of snow on the area and bring blizzard-like conditions.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the following counties:
ILLINOIS
Boone; De Kalb; DuPage; Grundy; Kane; Kendall; La Salle; Lee; Livingston; McHenry; Ogle; and Winnebago until 12 a.m. Monday.
Cook; DuPage; Ford; Iroquois; Kankakee; Lake and Will until 6 a.m. Monday.
INDIANA
Benton; Jasper; Lake; Newton and Porter until 7 a.m. Monday.
Allen; De Kalb; Elkhart; Fulton; Kosciusko; La Porte; Lagrange; Marshall; Noble; Pulaski; St. Joseph; Starke; Steuben and Whitley until 4 a.m. Monday.
WISCONSIN
Kenosha; Milwaukee; Racine and Walworth until 3 a.m. Monday.
According to ABC7 Meteorologist Phil Schwarz, the snow will overspread the area and become heavier overnight Saturday and late into Sunday. The storm could be upgraded to a blizzard warning during the day Sunday, with winds gusting up to near 50 miles per hour, causing considerable blowing and drifting snow.
The snow will get progressively heavier overnight and into the day Sunday, RPM models show generally 8-13" of snow across the area, while other models show even more of the white stuff falling.
"By Sunday morning, we'll see 2"-4" of snow," Schwarz said. "The bulk of the snow will fall Sunday into Sunday night and not come to an end early Monday morning."
The first bands of snow arrived in the area early Saturday night. The relatively mild temperatures kept the snow from sticking to the roads as the storm began to sweep through.
Stores were crowded throughout the area as people bought shovels and stocked up on food Saturday night ahead of the storm.
The city of Chicago and suburban communities are all getting ready for the snow.
So is everyone else, crowding into stores Saturday to stock up on supplies.
Coming on the four-year anniversary of the blizzard of 2011, the city wants to make sure they are ready for whatever is in store. Salt trucks which have remained largely untouched this winter are ready to go, while at the city's emergency management hub Saturday Mayor Rahm Emanuel got briefed on how the city's various agencies are coordinating to deal with the snow.
"All the equipment available to the city, ready to move during the storm to make sure the streets are safe, secure and passable," Emanuel said.
SNOWFALL COULD RESULT IN FREE FURNITURE FOR SOME
If at least three inches of snow falls between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on February 1, Art Van Furniture will refund customers who purchased furniture, mattresses or clearance items during the New Year's Day sale on January 1.
"We're hoping that the customers win that free furniture," said Rick Cote, manager, Art Van Furniture.
If the official measurement by the National Weather Service at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport is 3 inches or more, Art Van will contact customers via email or phone call. A refund check will be sent by March.
Art Van said its six stores did $2 million in sales total during the promotion on January 1, 2015.
