Winter storm warning in effect for Lake, McHenry counties

A winter storm warning is in effect Saturday night and into the early morning hours Sunday for Lake, McHenry, Winnebago and Boone counties, the National Weather Service in Chicago said in an updated forecast.

The cities of Algonquin, Waukegan, Buffalo Grove, Mundelein, Gurnee, Crystal Lake, McHenry, Woodstock, Rockford and Belvidere are within the winter storm zone.

At the height of the storm, the snow will fall at a rate of an inch per hour, the service said.

During the storm, northeasterly winds will gradually increase to gusts of 25 mph.

Accumulations of four to seven inches are expected. If the snow is dry and fluffy, blowing and drifting on east-west roads is possible, the service added.

The heaviest concentration will be areas near the Wisconsin state line.

Motorists are advised that roads will be snow covered and slippery and they should keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in their vehicles in the event of an emergency.

Other parts of northern Illinois are under a winter weather advisory, stations in Romeoville and Davenport, Iowa, reported.

The advisory is in effect until 3 a.m. Sunday and includes Cook, DuPage, Kane, DeKalb, Ogle, Whiteside, Carroll, Lee, Bureau and Putnam counties.

Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, Henderson, Warren, Hancock, McDonough, Scotland, and Clark counties also fall in the advisory zone.

In those counties, accumulations of snow are in the range of two to five inches. Snow will fall at about a rate of one-half inch per hour.

Motorists are advised that wintry mix is likely in a band between Interstate 88 and Interstate 80 and in areas south of Interstate 290, resulting in a light glaze of ice on roads.