First snow expected as Millennium Park ice skating rink opens for season

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The ice rink at Millennium Park opened Friday just in time for the first accumulating snowfall to arrive in the Chicago area this weekend before much colder air moves in.

A couple of flurries are forecast for Friday night before light snow moves in mainly after 5 p.m. Saturday, with possibly an inch or so across the area, and maybe a little bit more to the farther north and west. A couple of snow showers are then expected on Sunday before a big chill hits next week.

Forget the calendar and remember there's a lot of grace to winter if you look for it. Some professional skaters inaugurated another year of public skating at arguably the crown jewel of Chicago's downtown, Millennium Park.

The rink gave way to the amateurs eventually, who combined fun and a zest for cold that's oh-so-Chicago.

"It's not as hard I expected so it's pretty fun," said first time ice skater Cameron Wilcox.

"I'm a little rusty, but nothing a little longer winter won't take care of," said John Demma.

The poetry of winter was a little less on display throughout the Loop as the city prepared for its first cold weather weekend of the winter.