SEVER WEATHER ALERT

CHICAGO WEATHER CENTER

http://blog.chicagoweathercenter.com/severe-weather-updates/

 

by Mike Hamernik  http://twitter.com/#!/MikeHamernik

Weather conditions across the Chicago area have gone from bad to worse over the past couple of hours as winds gusting to 60mph whip heavy snow into drifts.  Intense thundersnow is now moving into northeast Illinois and weather conditions will continue to go downhill throughout the night.  Unfortunately, the situation is going to get a lot worse overnight before things slowly improve Wednesday afternoon. 

Snow drifting roads shut

Roads are closed in DeKalb County and the plows have been pulled for the night after a snowplow actually got stuck near Courtland

More building damage reported in Lakeview

In addition to the damage at Wrigley Field, the extreme wind has ripped off part of a a building located Belmont Ave

LSD & I-90

Lake Shore Drive was shut down by the City of Chicago shortly after 8PM due to drifting snow and stranded vehicles.  Other roads across northern Illinois are reported to be in very bad shape including Interstate 90 and US Highway 20 near Rockford where motorists are reported to be stranded. 

Part of I-80 being closed

The Illinois State Police are in the process of closing a large stretch of Interstate 80 from Morris to Princeton

60mph winds making this storm a blizzard

Snowfall totals range from 3 to 8 inches, an amount of snow that would not be all that unusual.  What makes this storm so rare, is the wind.  Wind gusts have consistently been in the 50 to 60mph range creating white-out conditions in open areas.