Bitter Cold Moves Into City
CHICAGO (STMW) - The heavy snow showers that hit Chicago Saturday have left the area, but portions of northwest Indiana could see an additional eight inches of lake effect snow before the system completely passes Sunday afternoon.
The snowstorm dropped more than five inches on the Chicago area Saturday and canceled more than 325 flights. Bitter cold temperatures are expected to replace the snow this week.
A winter storm advisory remains in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday for Lake County, Ind., according to the National Weather Service's website. The advisory means periods of snow will cause travel difficulties and motorists should prepare for snow-covered roads and limited visibilities.
Lake effect snow along the Lake Michigan shore is expected to shift from the Illinois shore into Indiana, the weather service said. As much as five additional inches of snow is possible, but amounts may vary greatly over short distances.
Further east, a more serious lake effect snow warning will remain in effect until 9 a.m. for Porter County, Ind., the weather service said. As much as eight additional inches of snow are possible in this area, which includes Valparaiso, Ind.
Lake-effect snow showers typically align in bands that can produce several inches of snow per hour for several hours, the weather service said. Visibility can drop to zero in minutes and travel is strongly discouraged.
In Chicago, the heaviest snow has moved out of the area, but flurries remain possible until 9 a.m. Sunny skies are expected in the afternoon, but temperatures will only reach about 23 degrees.
The weather service reported more than five inches of snow fell at O'Hare Airport Saturday -- breaking the old record for Dec. 4 snow set in 1964.
More than 325 flights were canceled at O'Hare Airport and "a few delays" were reported at Midway Airport, according to the city's Department of Aviation.
Bitter cold temperatures are expected to move into the area the rest of the week, the weather service said.
Highs are only expected to be in the low-20s early this week, and single digit lows are possible.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
