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Snowfall in Chicago Starts Tonight, 4 to 8 Inches Expected

By Emily Morris | March 11, 2014 7:24am | Updated on March 11, 2014 8:04am
 Chicago might have seen temperatures in the 50s Monday (l.), but heavy snow is coming Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said.
Chicago might have seen temperatures in the 50s Monday (l.), but heavy snow is coming Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said.
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DNAinfo/Josh McGhee, Jack Mongan

CHICAGO — Chicagoans might have frolicked outside in the 53-degree weather on Monday, but rough wintry conditions headed our way starting Tuesday night include 4 to 8 inches of snow and even a chance of thundersnow, meteorologists said.

First, rain is likely to start sometime Tuesday evening before transitioning to wet snow and then quickly becoming all snowfall overnight, National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Friedlein said.

The high for Tuesday is expected to be about 41 degrees, but Wednesday's expected high is just 26 degrees, he said.

The southern and central metro areas, which include the city, are expected to get the brunt of the snowy onslaught, Friedlein said.

Snow will fall quickly in the overnight hours, and there's even a slight chance Chicago could see isolated thundersnow, Friedlein said. The city most recently experienced the uncommon weather phenomenon on Feb. 22, and before that, during the Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011.

Though the flurries are likely to taper off between 6 and 9 a.m. Wednesday, gusty winds could create blowing snow and result in "significant impacts on the morning commute," Friedlein said. 

The weather service issued a winter storm warning that is in effect from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Thursday will be slightly warmer, with a high of about 37 degrees, before Friday reaches a high of about 49 degrees, according to the weather service.