Dozens Of Crashes Reported Amid Heavy Snow Showers Causing Low Visibility In Lake And McHenry Counties

By Sam Borcia, Lake & McHenry County Scanner

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Dozens of vehicle crashes were reported Thursday evening in Lake and McHenry counties as whiteout conditions were reported due to snow showers.

The National Weather Service said in a statement around 4:30 p.m. that scattered snow showers would be continuing into the evening Thursday.

The weather service warned that the heaviest snow showers would produce brief bursts of snow along with gusty winds that would lead to sharply reduced visibility.

The NWS also said that coatings of snow would occur on some roads, with elevated and less traveled roadways the most susceptible.

“Use caution if you will be out driving, and be prepared to encounter rapidly changing conditions in and near any heavier snow showers. Slow down and increase following distance,” the NWS said.

In an update, the NWS said the heaviest snow showers were in the far northwest and northern Chicago suburbs, including Lake County and McHenry County.

More than a dozen vehicle crashes were reported within a 30-minute span across Lake County just after 6 p.m.

The weather and traffic conditions seemed to be most treacherous in the Lake Forest, Vernon Hills Mundelein, Wauconda, and Island Lake areas.

In McHenry County, weather and traffic conditions seemed to be most treacherous north of Crystal Lake and south of McHenry, along with areas of Woodstock, Harvard, and Prairie Grove.

Lake and McHenry County Scanner is a local breaking news website covering issues that matter such as shootings, stabbings, house fires, kidnappings, car accidents, and more around Lake County and McHenry County.