A long-duration storm will bring potentially heavy snowfall and high winds to the area, making for multiple messy commutes Tuesday and Wednesday.
Precipitation will fall primarily as rain Monday night, with a few flurries mixed in overnight, resulting in some possibly slushy accumulation by morning. Snow will overspread the area mid-to-late morning into early Wednesday. Snow should wind down around Noon on Wednesday.
Computer forecasting models have varied greatly in the past few days, which makes this a tricky storm to forecast. Latest models are showing a more southerly track, with the potential for the heaviest snow south of I-80 and in Northwest Indiana. Temperatures should be above 32 much of the day on Tuesday, which should help minimize accumulation until Tuesday evening.
While earlier forecasts warned of much higher amounts, the current forecast is calling for a general 2-4″ throughout most of the area, with around 2″ in Rockford, and higher amounts far south of I-80 and into Northwest Indiana. However, any change in track direction with this storm will greatly impact accumulation amounts for any specific area, and the potential remains for heavier amounts in excess of 6″ in some locations.