Chicago area gets nearly 2 inches of snow

Snow fell across the Chicago area Sunday, blanketing the city in nearly 2 inches of snow.

About 1.8 inches of the white fluffy stuff was recorded at O’Hare International Airport through 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Southwest suburban Romeoville saw 1.9 inches of snow.

The average first snowfall day of one inch is Dec. 7 for Chicago, so this year’s first one-inch day came a little earlier than average, meteorologists said.

A winter weather advisory was in effect until 2 p.m. Sunday, NWS said. Most of the snow stopped by 4 p.m.

But the snow isn’t expected to last for long as cold temperatures early this week will make way for warmer temps in the second half of the work week.

Monday and Tuesday will see high temps in the 20s, but Wednesday and Thursday’s highs will be closer to 40 degrees.

A snowy street in Oak Park Sunday morning. Up to 2 inches of snow is expected to accumulate in the greater Chicago area through Sunday amid dropping temperatures. But a warm-up will happen later in the week.

Sun-Times staff

Sunday’s snow was the first substantial, widespread snow of the season in Illinois, according to Weather Service Meteorologist Lee Carlaw.

The first accumulating snow of the season fell on Halloween, but that inch of snow mostly fell on the Chicago area, he said.

Snowfall amounts this season are about average, Carlaw said.

Temperatures are expected to plummet to the teens and single-digits overnight into Monday, increasing the risk of black ice on roads for the morning commute, he said.

A snowy Holstein Park in Bucktown on Sunday morning. Up to 2 inches of snow is expected to fall in the greater Chicago area by Sunday night.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

A CTA Green Line train approaches the Harlem station in Oak Park amid snowfall Sunday morning.

Sun-Times staff

National Weather Service