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Update
A bad day to be driving
While major roads in Chicago have seen a plow, with the snow continuing to fall, combined with the strong winds, even those streets are still dangerous. Drivers need to use great care, not only are the roads slippery, visibility is down to less than 10 feet, and the few people that are out walking have taken to the streets, since the sidewalks are impassable.
By 3:00 today the snow as all but stopped, but the winds are picking up as the temperature is falling. Over the next 24 hours it will we the extreamly low Wind-Chills that will be the most concern.
Chicago is in the direct path of what The National Weather Service is predicting to be the most severe winter storm of the past decade. All charts are pointing to a ruff two days for the whole Chicagoland region. The National Weather Service has taken the step of replacing it’s the Blizzard Watch with an all-out Blizzard Warning for the entire Chicago area.
Their best estimates has the storm hitting at approximately 3PM Tuesday Feb, 1st and continuing for a full 24 hours.Based on the latest satellite and Doppler Radar, predictions of accumulation range between forecast of 12 to 20 inches of snow sticking before the storm passes Wednesday evening. The severity of this Blizzard Warning is not measured in just inches, all reports call for high winds resulting in both “Whiteout” conditions and deep snow drifts reaching 3 to 4 feet.
The combination of snow and wind will slow city traffic to a crawl, but it’s the open roads that represent the greatest risk to driver safety. Common sense should cause one to rethink plans for any long distance travel over the next 36 hours, since most open roads will become virtually impassable or completely closed. If you do need to be driving, use extra care and plan on travel times running 2 or 3 times as long as usual. Make sure you have warm clothes, a car full of gas and a cell phone with a full charge.
A bit of common sense and planing can save your life or the life of another.
