Winter storm expected to bring 6 to 9 inches of snow starting this afternoon

Th> National Weather Service continues to track a major winter storm that could dump more than six inches of snow on the region starting this afternoon.

The weather service on Sunday issued a winter storm warning for northern Illinois effective from Monday afternoon until Tuesday afternoon. It forecasts between six and nine inches of snow across the Chicago area, along with northeast winds gusting up to 40 mph.

The storm could lead to hazardous travel conditions impacting the Monday evening and Tuesday morning commutes, according to the weather service.

Freezing rain or sleet may mix in with the snow at times, mainly late Monday afternoon and evening for areas south of Interstate 88 and power outages are possible due to the combination of wet, heavy snow and strong winds, the storm watch states.

According to an hourly forecast, there is a 48% chance of precipitation at O'Hare International Airport at 2 p.m. Monday, which peaks at 99% between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.