5 to 8 inches of snow possible for McHenry, Lake, Ogle counties

McHenry, Lake, Ogle, Winnebago and Boone counties were expected to see 5 to 8 inches of snow overnight into Saturday, the National Weather Service warned in a winter storm warning Friday.

Heavy snow was forecast, with 2 inches per hour possible late Friday into mid-morning Saturday, the warning advised. Winds with gusts up to 35 mph combined with the snow also could down tree limbs and cause sporadic power outages.

“Roads will become snow-covered, and travel will become difficult for a period early Saturday morning during the period of heaviest snow,” the National Weather Service said, adding that the “expected heavy, wet nature of the snow will make shoveling hazardous.”

For those who must travel, the National Weather Service recommended keeping an extra flashlight, food and water in their vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for Illinois can be viewed online at gettingaroundillinois.com.

The winter storm warning runs from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and includes the towns of Rockford, Belvidere, Crystal Lake, Algonquin, McHenry, Woodstock, Waukegan, Buffalo Grove, Mundelein, Gurnee, Rochelle, Oregon and Byron.

A winter weather advisory also was issued Friday for other parts of northern Illinois, running from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, that forecast 2 to 5 inches for Kane, DeKalb and Lee counties.