Winter Weather Advisory: Freezing rain, dangerous road conditions in Chicago area

CHICAGO (WLS) — There’s a threat of freezing rain and slick road conditions Saturday.

Light rain is expected to spread northeast during the early to mid-afternoon hours Saturday and continue into the evening. A weather advisory has been issued for 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall and LaSalle counties in Illinois. Portions of Cook and Will counties in Illinois are also included in the advisory. The advisory additionally encompasses Jasper, Lake, Newton and Porter counties in northwest Indiana.

Below freezing temperatures throughout the past few days could mean icy conditions. Ice accumulations could reach one-tenth of an inch.

FULL 7-DAY FORECAST

In response to the freezing rain and sleet, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation said it has deployed 211 salt spreaders. The trucks will focus on addressing ice along Chicago’s arterial routes and Lake Shore Drive.

Indiana State Police is warning drivers to slow “way down”. In a tweet, police said I-80 and I-65 are littered with crashes.

An ice jam on the Kankakee River in Wilmington near the I-55 bridge was confirmed Saturday, the National Weather Service said. A flood warning was issued for the area, as fluctuations in river levels are expected and will likely rise to a flood stage over the coming couple days.

Difficult travel conditions are possible due to icy roads. Secondary roads, bridges and overpasses, parking lots and sidewalks are most susceptible. Even as air temperatures gradually climb to above freezing during Saturday evening, ground and pavement temperatures may lag behind, resulting in icy conditions on untreated surfaces.
Tips for driving in winter weather can be found on the Illinois Department of Transportation website.