Weather Roads, possible power outages a concern as freezing rain, ice come to Chicago

There is a Winter Weather Advisory in force through Thursday at 6 a.m. Widespread freezing rain and drizzle are making driveways, sidewalks, and untreated roads icy and slippery. A 0.1-inch buildup of ice is possible. The low will be in the low 30s on Wednesday evening. There will likely be some slick spots throughout the morning, even though the precipitation will stop before sunrise on Thursday. Conditions will significantly improve by late morning on Thursday as temperatures rise above freezing. By late Thursday, some clearing skies are anticipated, with highs in the low 40s and gusty winds. It will be dry and colder on Friday, with highs close to freezing. Late Friday night through Saturday is predicted to bring a fresh winter storm.

While snow accumulation is probable in regions north of I-80, ice impacts are possible, particularly in areas to the south. Drivers face a great deal of uncertainty due to the potential for ice to cover Chicago’s highways and interstates. Highways in Kansas City were closed for hours on Wednesday due to freezing rain, making travel challenging. six automobiles, including six semi-tractor trailers, skidded out of Kansas City’s Interstate 670, which was described as a sheet of ice. It’s the same system that was creeping through Illinois during the night.

Maria Castaneda of the Illinois Department of Transportation stated, “This event will continue into the early commute, so definitely give yourself some extra time in the morning.” Despite the fact that less than 0.1 inch of ice is predicted, Castaneda warned that roadways throughout the Chicago region might be hazardous. “It will definitely have some impacts, depending on particular areas of roadways,” she stated. According to Castaneda, ramps, overpasses, and bridges in particular will be slippery.

The Illinois Toll Highway Authority and IDOT have already sent trucks to treat the roads with chloride and salt. However, IDOT stated that a freeze-back is feasible as long as temperatures continue to plummet. “What that means is that that wet pavement — even if it’s been treated earlier — once that temperature, you know, hits it again, it can freeze back,” Castaneda explained. Additionally, IDOT would like to urge vehicles to keep a safe distance from its plows when they are on the road. Late Wednesday night, issues were already starting to arise on the highways in Northern Illinois. Cars were covered in ice, and plows were treating the roadways as freezing drizzle fell on Kankakee County’s I-57. There have been reports of thundersleet, which is exactly what it sounds like, even further south. I-65 was temporarily stopped at Crown Point, Indiana, due to a semi-trailer truck that had been jackknifed. To keep everyone safe in the snowy weather, more than only salt trucks are at work.

In preparation for outages, electric firms are increasing their workforce overnight. ComEd stated that while it does not expect any power disruptions to occur early on Wednesday night, they may occur during the night or early in the morning. Additionally, according to the company, wind may have a role, therefore if a power line is down, nobody should approach it. Instead, call ComEd if you detect a downed power line, and crews will arrive as soon as possible. ComEd stated that a high level of ice accumulation would be detrimental to electrical infrastructure.

“We’re going to see branches fall on trees,” Vito Martino, vice president of distribution systems for ComEd. “We’re going to see ice on the conductors and the overhead wires, which is going to cause the wires to fall.” According to ComEd, 35% of its employees work nights, and their trucks are prepared for any emergency.