Overnight snowfall of less than an inch led to a slippery commute in Chicago Thursday morning, with the National Weather Service warning that parts of Illinois and Indiana could see another 1 to 3 inches of dry, fluffy snow in the evening.

       Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches, with isolated totals up to 4 inches are possible in portions of central, east central, north central and northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana, the weather service said. A winter weather advisory goes into effect at 6 p.m. Thursday, lasting until noon Friday.

       Advertisement

       While the area will experience a brief break in the most intense cold temperatures during the day, the weather service said “very cold air” and sub-zero wind chills will return Thursday night, and stick around until Sunday morning. The coldest wind chills, reaching as low as minus 30 degrees, are possible in northern Illinois.

       “There may not be a ton of snow …but into tomorrow morning the winds are going to pick up and blow the snow around. Given the temperatures are going to be cold, it’s going to be a very, fluffy snow that’s easy to blow around,” said Ricky Castro, a meteorologist with the NWS in Romeoville.

       Advertisement

       TOP WEATHER VIDEOS

       Thursday’s forecast in Chicago shows a high near 24 degrees with wind speeds of 5 to 10 mph. At night, the wind chill is predicted to reach as low as minus 5 degrees with wind gusts as high as 30 mph after midnight. The chance of precipitation is 100%.

       Severe wind chills can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes, the weather service said. It recommends avoiding outdoor activities if possible and wearing appropriate clothing when venturing outside. Seven people from around Cook County have had cold exposure as a possible, probable or secondary cause of their death since Friday, according to the medical examiner.

       While much of the snow will taper off and end late Thursday, the weather service said areas of blowing and drifting snow into Friday morning will result in hazardous driving conditions during the morning commute, particularly in open and outlying areas. They said blowing snow can reduce visibility in open areas, and that drifting snow will cover exposed roadways.

       “With the cold temps, snow accumulates even more easily on treated roads,” Castro said. “If you have flexibility to not drive tomorrow, it would probably be good to take advantage of that.”

       In northern and northeastern Porter County, an intense lake effect snow band is expected to bring “near crippling” snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour and potential whiteout conditions. Drivers should plan on slippery road conditions, and slow down while traveling, the weather service said.

       The city’s Department of Streets and Sanitation sent out salt spreaders overnight in response to the snow, and will continue to monitor main roads, DuSable Lake Shore Drive, bridges and overpasses to make sure they are safe and passable, according to a news release.

       At O’Hare International Airport, 61 flights were canceled and 94 were delayed as of Thursday morning, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware. Another four flights were canceled at Midway Airport and 16 were delayed.

       The weather service also warned that ice will be seen on almost all local rivers this week, leading to an increased risk of ice jams, which can cause significant water level fluctuations with little to no warning. Ice jams have already caused flooding near and downstream of Wilmington on the Kankakee River and near LaSalle and Ottawa on the Illinois River.

       rjohnson@chicagotribune.com