Icy Start To 2021: Freezing Rain Headed Into Chicago Area

ILLINOIS — As you ring in the new year, as always, you'll want to stay safe and stay off the roads if you've been drinking. But there's another reason to avoid traveling — aside from the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Weather Service is predicting a frosty start to 2021, calling for accumulating ice thanks to freezing rain. Mixed precipitation is expected to persist for several hours on the morning of New Year's Day, potentially turning to snow by Friday night.

A winter storm watch is in effect until midnight Jan. 2 for Grundy, Kendall, LaSalle and Livingston counties, while a winter weather advisory expires at midnight Jan. 2 for central and southern Cook, DuPage, eastern, northern and southern Will and Kane counties.

The Chicago area is part of the region with the greatest potential for icing, including Chicago and the Joliet area. Ice is expected to accumulate, especially on untreated surfaces.

Police in Plainfield warned drivers of potentially dangerous conditions, tree limbs down and possibly power outages.

The precipitation will change over to rain Friday afternoon, with snow mixing in by evening. Some snow accumulation is probably Friday night.

Here's a look at your long weekend weather:

New Year's Day: Rain, snow, freezing rain, and sleet before 3pm, then rain between 3pm and 4pm, then rain, possibly mixed with snow after 4pm. High near 34. Breezy, with a northeast wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Friday Night: Rain before 9pm, then rain and snow between 9pm and midnight, then a chance of snow after midnight. Low around 28. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 38. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24.