When Snow Will End, Snowfall Totals So Far In Illinois

ILLINOIS — Snow continued to fall Sunday morning and the snowstorm was expected to continue throughout the day, with light snow in the morning and moderate snow in the afternoon for most of northern Illinois.

The winter storm warning remained in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday.

The National Weather Service was reporting hazardous conditions due to snow-covered roads and low visibility from patchy, blowing snow.

Drivers were urged to stay off the road and postpone any non-essential travel. Those who must drive are urged to slow down and increase following distance. Keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

Many roads in the Chicago area were still covered with ice and snow as of late Sunday morning.

Other hazards include high waves of 8-12 feet and occasionally higher in Lake Michigan, which could flood parks, trails and roads near the lake shore in Chicago, Evanston and Waukegan in particular. Drivers should avoid flooded areas and residents should stay off docks and piers to avoid being swept into the lake.

How much snow so far?

So far, the highest snowfall total in the Chicago area was 9.5 inches in Romeoville.

Here were snowfall totals as of 7 a.m.

• Romeoville: 9.5 inches
• Midway airport: 7.4 inches
• O'Hare airport: 6.8 inches
• Rockford airport: 6 inches
• Joliet: 9.1 inches

Find more snowfall totals here.

Sunday marked the second time this month that O'Hare has gotten more than 6 inches of snow, the National Weather Service said. The airport got a total of 6 inches of snow during the Jan. 25-26 snowstorm.

The last time there were two six-plus-inches snowstorms at O'Hare were Dec. 31, 2013-Jan. 2, 2014 (10.9 inches) and Jan. 4-5, 2015 (11.7 inches).

The biggest snowstorm of 2021 so far, Saturday/Sunday's storm pales in comparison to the "Snowmageddon" of almost exactly one decade ago. Between Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2011, the Chicago area was hit with a blizzard that dropped more than 21 inches of snow to Chicago and about a foot and a half of snow to the suburbs.

Here's a look back at Snowpocalypse 2011, ten years later.

How much more snow could we get?

The National Weather Service expects 2-4 more inches of snow in Chicago and north of Chicago, with another 1-3 inches in most other areas, including the Joliet area. The Rockford area could get up to another inch of snow.

Snow was expected to end overnight Sunday, with cloudy skies Monday and a high in the low 30s.

The next time we could see wintry weather is Wednesday night into Thursday, although significant precipitation looked unlikely as of Sunday, the National Weather Service said.

Be careful shoveling

The storm has brought wet, heavy snow, and shoveling in these conditions can bring the risk of slips and falls, sprained backs, hypothermia, dehydration and heart attack.
According to the American Heart Association, before you pick up that shovel, you should:

• Avoid eating a heavy meal.
• Avoid alcohol.
• Use a small shovel, as lifting heavy snow can increase blood pressure.
• Learn the dangers of hypothermia and dress in layers.
• Know the signs of a heart attack: chest discomfort, pain in the arm, neck or jaw, cold sweat, nausea and shortness of breath. Stop immediately and seek medical help if you notice any of these symptoms.

Also important, if your car becomes snow-covered, before you start digging it out, make sure the tailpipe is clear. Remove snow from car exhaust pipe(s) before sitting in the car and letting it warm up. Failure to remove snow can result in carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure there is ample room for air to circulate behind your car to allow any exhaust to dissipate and not build up around your car.