February snowfall record expected to fall tonight

A National Weather Service winter weather advisory is in effect through tonight with warnings that 3 to 5 inches of snow could fall across the Chicago area by tomorrow morning.

If that amount does hit the ground overnight, then 2011 would become the snowiest February of all time, weather officials said.

Currently, 27-inches has fallen in February of 2011, fueled mostly by a 20.2-inch blizzard recorded at O'Hare International Airport earlier this month.

The current February snowfall record of 27.8 inches was in 1896, roughly 115 years ago, meteorologists said.

The overnight snow is expected to begin falling between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. this evening, depending on your location. It's expected to stop around 4 a.m. until 6 a.m. Friday.

Accumulations are expected to reach about an inch an hour during the heaviest portions of snow. Gusting winds of about 25 mph may produce areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Officials said driving conditions could become treacherous at times, and people should stay home and off the roads if they can do so.