Bitter Cold Settles in; Fox Flood Watch Continues

The National Weather Service-Chicago has issued a hazardous weather outlook that warns of below-zero wind chills and aweful visibility.

AccuWeather reported early Tuesday that a snowstorm pushing across the Northeast and Great Lakes would be the driving force behind strong winds in the Chicago region, although the are is expected to escape any significant snow.

And you can add that to the existing flood watch that's lingering for the Fox River.

The National Weather Service's hazardous weather outook started Monday afternoon as a strong cold front rushed east across the area.

"Sporadic wind gusts to near 40 mph are likely. In addition, isolated snow showers are possible, which together with the wind may result in brief periods of greatly reduced visibility," the National Weather Service says. "The quickly falling temperatures may lead to freezing of wet surfaces across the area."

AccuWeather's forecast predicted only trace amounts of snowfall around the tri-Cities of St. Charles, Batavia and Geneva, although rain and sleet are possible.

The same winds that swept into the Tri-Cities on Monday afternoon had caused blizzard conditions in the eastern parts of North and South Dakota and across Minnesota earlier in the day, AccuWeather said.

The National Weather Service canceled a flood advisory for the DesPlaines River, but it continues for the Fox, where it's especially bad north of here — at the Algonquin tailwater, which affects Kane and McHenry counties and could trigger some "cautionary/preparedness actions."

"If you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and find an alternate route," the flood warning says.

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