Winter Storm Warning Continues for Much of Chicago Area as Heavy Snow Falls
By Mary Kay Kleist, Darius Johnson, Laura Bannon
Meteorologist
(https://www.cbsnews.com/team/laura-bannon/)
Laura Bannon is the weekday morning meteorologist at CBS2. A native of Chicagoland, Laura grew up in Naperville. She is an Emmy-nominated meteorologist and holds her NWA Seal of Approval.
Read Full Bio (https://www.cbsnews.com/team/laura-bannon/)
Kris Habermehl,
Kylee Miller
Updated on: November 10, 2025 / 6:18 AM CST / CBS Chicago
A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for most of the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana on Monday morning due to an unusual fall snowstorm that brought heavy lake-effect snow (https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-weather-forecast-winter-storm-warning-snow-timeline/) .
For central Cook County, including Chicago, the Winter Storm Warning was downgraded to a Winter Weather Advisory around 5 a.m. However, the warning remains in effect for the rest of Cook County.
As the morning commute began, the snowstorm caused hazardous driving conditions.
The snow started falling and intensifying in the Chicago area as early as 8 p.m. on Sunday, continuing through the night with thunderclaps. Accumulations were reported in Cook County and around the lake into Northwest Indiana.
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A mesolow, a small low-pressure system, moved through the area in the early morning, spreading the snow further.
Overnight, several inches of snow accumulated in Chicago and north into Lake County. The worst conditions were seen south of Chicago and in Northwest Indiana, with double-digit snow totals and winds gusting up to 50 mph.
Some areas received over a foot of snow.
While the snow stopped in some areas around dawn, at least a few more inches were expected throughout the morning. Even without snow, the wind whipped up and blew snow around as drivers navigated DuSable Lake Shore Drive downtown.
The lake-effect snow became more localized mid-morning through the afternoon as the snow band pivoted around the lake from west to east. With the snow breaking up, the total snowfall was expected to be less than initially anticipated.
Lake County, Illinois, was expected to be the hardest hit after daybreak.
Northwest Indiana will experience another round of heavy snowfall in the morning and early afternoon, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Hazardous travel conditions, potentially life-threatening, will persist throughout the morning. In response, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed its snow plow fleet overnight to keep major roads clear. Over 250 salt spreaders were deployed Sunday night into Monday morning.
The snow-fighting fleet focused on addressing snow and ice along DuSable Lake Shore Drive and the city's arterial routes. Residents can view the snow fleet in action at chicagoshovels.org (https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/streets/supp_info/chicagoshovels.html).
Express buses were not running on DuSable Lake Shore Drive early Monday morning.
Beyond the city, some expressways were impassable as of 4:30 a.m. due to poor visibility on parts of I-57 south of Chicago and I-65 in Indiana, where there is no overhead lighting. Numerous cars were in the ditch, and drivers were advised to stay away.
Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield advised commuters to reduce their speed and warned those who must drive in the morning.
'Don't plan on getting to your destination anytime soon,' Fifield said. 'Expect it to take extra time to get where you're going.'
Fifield also advised drivers to pack water, food, and blankets in case they get stranded. He added that anyone involved in a crash should stay in their vehicle until first responders arrive, as getting out of the car and standing around on the expressway can be dangerous and even deadly.
Meanwhile, O'Hare International Airport was closed to non-scheduled operations and general aviation overnight during the snowstorm. A total of 243 flights were canceled for when the airport opens in the morning, while 130 flights were canceled at Midway International Airport.
The Winter Storm Warning will remain in effect through noon on Monday for the affected parts of Cook County, as well as eastern Will County.
In Kankakee County, the warning begins at midnight on Monday and continues through noon. The warning is in effect until 6 p.m. on Monday for Lake and Porter counties in Indiana.
For LaPorte County, Indiana, a Winter Storm Warning was already in effect as of midday on Sunday and continues until midnight on Tuesday morning.
A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for Lake County, Illinois, until 6 a.m. on Monday. A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect for DuPage and western Will counties in Illinois, as well as Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana.
Snowfall rates of 3 inches per hour are still a risk.
When the storm ends, snow totals of 4 to 6 inches are expected widely. Localized totals of 8 to 10 inches remain possible, with a few spots of 12 to 14 inches also still possible, particularly along and just inland from the lake shore.
