A major winter storm brought hazardous road conditions and several inches of snow to the Chicago area on Saturday as travelers hurried to head home from holiday gatherings.
A winter storm warning was issued for the entirety of the Chicago area and northwest Indiana, advising of total snow accumulations between six and 10 inches through 6 a.m. Sunday, with locally higher amounts possible.
Many Chicago-area communities started seeing light snow on Saturday morning ahead of the main weather event, although pockets of heavier snow did impact some areas, including Kankakee and LaSalle counties as well as Jasper and Newton counties in northwest Indiana.
Snow continues to spread across the area and is accumulating on roads. Expect conditions to continue to deteriorate through the afternoon with peak snow rates expected between 12 PM and 8 PM today. If traveling use caution and be prepared for slippery travel! #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/z6FpyDCl9a
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) November 29, 2025
While most of the snow had yet to arrive, road conditions began deteriorating pretty quickly in the morning, NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Kristen Kirchhaine said.
With many expecting to hit the road and head home from holiday destinations, Kirchhaine urged drivers to adjust travel plans if at all possible. If you’re still planning to travel regardless, it’s recommended you keep a winter travel kit handy and allot extra travel time.
Light snow continued through the morning hours, though the heaviest was expected between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Snowfall rates of one inch an hour are expected, Kirchhaine said, so snow will accumulate pretty quickly.
By 4 p.m., some Chicago suburbs had experienced up to seven inches of snow.
As the evening hours arrive, some communities, particularly in Grundy and Will counties as well as northwest Indiana, could encounter a rain-snow mix as warmer air attempts to move in, which might lead to lesser snow totals. Separately, a band of very heavy snow – with snowfall rates of one to two inches an hour – could brush areas south of a line extending from Paxton in Ford County to Rensselaer in Jasper County, the National Weather Service stated.
Dangerous travel conditions and lighting were possible along with that band.
While the heaviest snow might stop at around 8 p.m., but lighter flurries will continue overnight and into part of Sunday morning.
By midday, the accumulating event will largely be over with the exception of a couple of flurries.
When it comes to projected snowfall totals, here’s what the NBC 5 Storm Team expects:
- By 7 p.m. – Likely six to seven inches
- By Sunday afternoon – Between eight and 11 inches of snow
The winter system will bring a bit of accumulating snow as winds gust to around 30 miles per hour. Wind gusts could potentially pick up Sunday morning, reaching speeds of around 35 miles per hour, Kirchhaine said.
Blowing snow will continue, in combination with breezy conditions, through a period of the afternoon.
Temperature-wise, expect values around the 30-degree mark on both Saturday and Sunday before dropping to the mid 20s for the start of the workweek.
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