‘Slick,’ ‘messy’ travel expected Friday morning commute after freezing drizzle, bursts of snowfall

Overnight freezing drizzle paired with bursts of snowfall in the early hours Friday is expected to leave roads slick and cause a ‘messy’ morning commute, the National Weather Service warned.

A “wintry mix” of snow, sleet and freezing rain Friday morning is expected to build upon a “glaze of ice” NWS warns may be left behind by freezing drizzle, leaving roads slick and travel conditions hazardous, NWS said.

Snow accumulation of 1-to-2 inches is possible Thursday night, according to NWS. The snowfall will take place mainly after 2 a.m. and continue until 9 a.m. Friday.

The highest rates of snowfall — peaking around 1 inch an hour — are expected between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m., NWS said.

“Motorists are urged to plan for extra time to reach their destination Friday morning,” NWS advised.

The worst road conditions are expected east of I-39, NWS warned.

There is a roughly 10% chance “freezing drizzle or mist may develop overnight and result in slick spots on untreated surfaces,” NWS warned.

Scattered snow showers are expected again after 3 p.m. Friday, with less than half an inch of new snow accumulation predicted by NWS.

Though temperatures Friday are expected to be above freezing for the first time in weeks, the evening is expected to see a drop in temperatures again, with wind chill values as low as one degree below freezing.

Wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour could also lead to localized poor visibility Friday night, primarily east of Fox River and into Northwest Indiana, NWS said.