Chicago Weather: Winter Storm Watch issued for Christmas Eve in city, suburbs

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Chicago area for Christmas Eve, with the heaviest snow possible in northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan.

The watch is in effect Wednesday morning through Wednesday evening, and includes Kane, DuPage, Cook, Kendall, Will, Grundy, Kankakee counties in Illinois and Lake County in Indiana. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Lake, McHenry and DeKalb counties where lesser snow amounts are expected.

Rain will change over to snow late Wednesday afternoon, and quickly sweep out of the Chicago area, ABC7 Chief Meteorologist Jerry Taft said.

"The latest computer models actually show that the majority of the snow will be east of Chicago," Taft said.

The highest snow accumulations are expected in northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan, with less than an inch of snow expected in the city.

"The computer models have changed this evening, so not everybody in the Chicago area watching this broadcast tonight will have a white Christmas," Taft said.

The wintry weather may still make travel difficult in the Chicago area on Wednesday afternoon. Airline passengers who want to try to beat the storm may be able to change their flights.

United, American, and Southwest Airlines are giving passengers flexibility to try and take earlier fights on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Taft says Illinois can expect temperatures in the mid-30s on Christmas Day.