CITYWIDE — Bust out the shovels and dibs furniture, Chicago — we’re getting a snowstorm.
For the first time in nearly five years, Chicago is expected to get over 6 inches of snowfall Saturday, with some localized spots potentially getting over 10 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
The snow is expected to start falling in the early morning hours Saturday, pick up in intensity during the daytime, and taper off late Saturday night into Sunday morning.
A winter storm warning has been issued from 3 a.m. Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday for the entire Chicagoland area.
Travel isn’t recommended during the warning, but the National Weather Service advises keeping an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency if you have to drive.
If it feels as if you haven’t used your snowblower in awhile, you’re probably right. The last time it snowed 6 inches in Chicago was Feb. 15, 2021, according to National Weather Service data.
Last meteorological winter was one of the least snowy in the city’s history. Chicago’s O’Hare Airport — the official weather reporting station for the city — only recorded 11.9 inches of snowfall this winter, according to WGN-TV meteorologist Bill Snyder.
Irving Park neighbors set up dibs amid another day of heavy snowfall in Chicago, on Feb. 2, 2022 Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
“It was the 10th least snowy on record, and the least snowiest since 1937,” Snyder said.
Saturday’s storm will technically register as an autumn event, with meteorological winter starting on Monday, Dec. 1.
After the snow, colder than average temperatures are likely to persist through next week, with additional snowfall possible Monday afternoon, according to the service.
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