CHICAGO — Those headed out for New Year's Eve would be wise to bundle up and brace themselves for the 3 to 6 inches of snow that could hit the area Tuesday night.
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the Chicago area from 4 p.m. Tuesday until 10 a.m. New Year's Day.
The service warned that periods of snow could make it difficult for travelers to see on the roads and urged drivers to use caution.
Frigid temperatures are likely to persist with a high of 16 degrees for the day, though the air could warm to 21 degrees after 11 p.m. Gusty winds of up to 15 miles per hour might also arrive tonight, according to the weather service.
The most snow is likely to be the heaviest starting in the evening and might not slow down until after midnight, according to Jamie Enderlen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The snow is likely to be of a dry variety, Enderlen said.
"It could be a little slippery," Enderlen said of the roads and sidewalks.
Three to 6 inches of snow could fall in the Chicago area Tuesday night, and the weather service expects 1 to 3 more inches for New Year's morning. More snow will likely hit the area Wednesday night.
Flurries could continue into Thursday, with much of the snow concentrated near Lake Michigan, according to the weather service.
The snowflakes are expected to cease by Friday, and by Saturday temperatures could warm to 31 degrees.
If more than 7.6 inches is recorded, it would surpass the record set on New Year's Eve in 1978, according to Enderlen. The record for New Year's Day is five inches of snow, which was measured in 1918.
