CHICAGO (CBS) — A winter storm watch has been issued for parts of the Chicago area, but has been scaled back.
The winter storm warning also goes into effect Friday for parts of Will and Kankakee counties and parts of northwestern Indiana.
The storm system is expected to hit the Chicago area Friday morning and afternoon with possible drenched downpours and thunderstorms. Heavy rain is expected to turn to snow by the afternoon as temperatures drop.
Some areas may see five to eight inches of snow. However, the forecast models do not agree on snow totals, so confidence in those amounts is relatively low.
Rain turning to snow will lead to some accumulation, but amounts in Chicago will be ZERO for many locations, with sharp increases in the south and east of the city.
It is possible that the area will grow only two to four centimeters. Accumulations will depend on when precipitation transitions from rain to snow and the track of the storm.
Some models show snow falling more to the east of Chicago, with higher totals in areas around Chesterton, Ind., and very little accumulation in Chicago.
Other models track the snow falling more directly over Chicago. So in the northern suburbs there may be little accumulation, with several inches in the city and up to six inches in northwestern Indiana.
