NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
220 PM CST MON JAN 6 2014

...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND ICY ROADS THROUGH THIS EVENING...

WESTERLY WINDS GUSTING UP TO 30 TO 35 MPH AS OF MID AFTERNOON WILL ONLY SLOWLY DIMINISH THROUGH THIS EVENING. AS A RESULT...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT IN HAZARDOUS ROAD TRAVEL CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AND RURAL AREAS. VISIBILITY WILL OCCASIONALLY BE REDUCED UNDER A HALF MILE...AND LOCALIZED BRIEF NEAR GROUND BLIZZARDS MAY OCCUR.

FURTHERMORE...LARGE SNOW DRIFTS CAN BE EXPECTED TO FORM ACROSS SOME ROADWAYS...ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE NORTH TO SOUTH ORIENTED.

FINALLY...DUE TO THE EXTREME COLD...ROAD SALT IS NOT EFFECTIVE IN MELTING SNOW AND ICE ON ROAD SURFACES...SO MANY ROADS ACROSS THE AREA ARE ICY AND DANGEROUS AND WILL REMAIN SO UNTIL THE AIR MASS MODERATES DURING MID WEEK.

MOTORISTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE PREPARED TO ENCOUNTER HAZARDOUS WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS THROUGH THIS EVENING AND USE PLENTY OF EXTRA CAUTION. BRING A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU IF YOU MUST TRAVEL DUE TO THE DANGEROUSLY COLD WEATHER.