12 Inches Of Snow In Some Areas Before Subzero Weather Hits IL

ILLINOIS — The Chicago area saw its most significant snowstorm of 2021 over the weekend, marking the second time in a month that some areas got more than 6 inches of snow.

Exactly a decade after 2011's "Snowmageddon," which brought more than 21 inches of snow to O'Hare International Airport, the Saturday/Sunday snowstorm saw a foot of snow or more in some areas.

Two towns in Will County got the area's highest snowfall totals, with 12.9 inches in Romeoville, followed by 12.7 inches in Peotone, according to the National Weather Service.

The Joliet area got totals of 9-12 inches, 8-11 inches fell in the Aurora area, and some other local snowfall totals were over a foot.

Here's a look at area snowfall totals from the National Weather Service:

• Romeoville: 12.9 inches
• Peotone: 12.7 inches
• Downers Grove: 12.4 inches
• Morton Grove: 12.1 inches
• Deerfield: 12 inches
• Flossmoor: 11.5 inches
• Midway Airport: 11.3 inches
• Plainfied: 11.2 inches
• O'Hare Airport: 10.8 inches
• Joliet: 10.7 inches
• Naperville: 10 inches
• Rockford: 6.8 inches

Find more snowfall totals here.

Along with the Jan. 25-26 snowstorm that brought half a foot of snow to O'Hare, it's the first time in six years the area has seen two back-to-back storms with more than 6 inches. The last time it happened at O'Hare was Dec. 31, 2013-Jan. 2, 2014 (10.9 inches) and Jan. 4-5, 2015 (11.7 inches).

Subzero wind chills coming

As the area digs out, colder weather is headed to the Chicago area, including temperatures near or below zero and wind chills of minus 20 or colder, the National Weather Service predicts.

The deep freeze is expected to arrive Saturday evening through Sunday night, with most of the Chicago area seeing colder-than-usual temperatures between Feb. 6 and Feb. 10.

The weather service warns of increased risk of frostbite and hypothermia as well as risk of ice jams on rivers.

"Guidance is pointing toward the first true blast of Arctic air arriving sometime over the weekend," the National Weather Service said. "It's too early to say exactly how cold it will be, but an early look suggests widespread subzero low temperatures and single-digit high temperatures are a distinct possibility, with lowest wind chill values well below zero, possibly to a dangerous extent for anyone not adequately prepared for the elements."

The forecast calls for highs in the low 30s for most of the week, with snow likely Thursday and a rain/snow mix Thursday night. Temperatures are expected to drop by Saturday, with a high near 18 and a low of zero degrees and a chance of snow Sunday, with a high near 7 degrees.