Snow Accumulation Estimates Released For Friday Storm: IL Weather

ACROSS ILLINOIS — Another round of snow is on its way, weather officials said Thursday.

Chicago-area residents are going to want to keep those shovels handy — and get those sleds out of storage — because accumulating snow is in the forecast Friday and Saturday before bitter cold hits Sunday.

The Valentine's Day snowstorm is expected to hit the area Friday afternoon and evening.

Snowfall rates of up to one inch per hour are expected Friday evening, and the National Weather Service has released preliminary estimates for the snowstorm of 2 to 4 total inches of snow for towns mainly northwest of Interstate 55, according to an update on the weather released early Thursday.

The snow is expected to fall over a six-hour period on Friday, according to the National Weather Service

On Saturday, more snow is expected. And a few flurries could be in the forecast Sunday as well — and so is bitter cold temperatures, which will hit Sunday and are expected to stay for much of next week.

Monday morning is expected to be the coldest morning of the cold weather stretch, which will run through Wednesday, weather officials are predicting. On Monday morning, wind chills of 15 below zero to 25 degrees below zero are possible.