Winter storms, minor flooding expected for suburbs
The National Weather Service has issued warnings for winter storms heading for the suburbs Monday.
Freezing rain and sleet are expected to begin at 6 a.m. Monday in several counties, including Cook, Kane, DuPage, Lake, Will, McHenry and DeKalb.
Icy precipitation will likely change to rain by early afternoon, according to the warning. The storm warning is in effect until 1 p.m. for Cook, DuPage, Will and Grundy counties.
Strong winds with gusts up to 50 mph also are anticipated in the suburbs, including Kane, McHenry and Lake counties. Recent updates call for the winter storm warning to be in effect there until 6 p.m. Monday.
Strong winds in other counties also are likely, the National Weather Service says.
The probability of power outages will be increased Monday, especially in areas where ice has accumulated on trees and power lines. The National Weather Service advises people to avoid traveling if possible, as conditions will be hazardous.
Additionally, flood warnings have been issued for this week for parts of Lake, Kane and McHenry counties. According to the National Weather Service, recent and expected rainfall may bring the Fox and DuPage rivers above the flood stage.
Minor flooding is expected for the Fox River at Montgomery from Tuesday morning until Saturday afternoon. With a flood stage of 13 feet, water levels will likely rise to a peak 13.2 feet early Wednesday.
A flood warning is in effect for the Fox River at the Algonquin Tailwater starting late Tuesday. The National Weather Service forecasts minor flooding by early Wednesday.
The Des Plaines River near Gurnee, where the flood stage is 7 feet, is expected to rise to nearly 7.5 feet by early Wednesday morning. The flood warning is in effect from late Monday "until further notice."
A flood warning is also in effect for the Des Plaines River at Russell starting late Tuesday night. The river is expected to rise above the flood stage by Wednesday afternoon and continue rising until Friday.
For precautionary reasons, the National Weather Service advises travelers to find an alternate route if they encounter flooded roadways.