A video shared from FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray shows snow falling in Chicago on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. The region is being blasted by a potent winter storm that’s expected to bring snow and beneficial rain to parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast through the end of the workweek and into the weekend.
CHICAGO – Heavy snow began pushing into Great Lakes cities, including Chicago and Milwaukee, on Thursday during the season’s first winter storm, reducing visibility down to a quarter-mile during the morning commute.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the winter storm unfolding across the Northeast, Great Lakes and mid-Atlantic is happening a week before Thanksgiving and could impact holiday travel. A potentially record-breaking 80 million people are expected to travel more than 50 miles from home this year, according to the AAA.
On Thursday, the National Weather Service in Chicago issued a Winter Weather Advisory for northeastern Illinois.
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray was in Chicago where morning commuters faced blustery conditions.
Snowfall increased throughout the morning, reducing visibility across Chicagoland. Between 2 and 4 inches is forecast throughout the day.
Snow in Chicago on Nov. 21, 2024 during the Thanksgiving week winter storm. (Image: Robert Ray/FOX Weather)
(FOX Weather)
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for O’Hare International Airport until 11:45 a.m. CT because of visibility issues.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center said areas of snow will continue to move south across northeastern Illinois and into northwestern Indiana.
FOX 6 Milwaukee Chief Meteorologist Rob Haswell shared this video showing snow falling outside the studio on Thursday morning. Forecasters warned residents that travel conditions were quickly deteriorating due to the winter storm.
Southeastern Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, is under a Winter Weather Advisory through noon CT on Thursday.
Snowfall rates between 1 and 2 inches per hour and gusty winds up to 45 mph along the Interstate 94 corridor, including Madison, eastern Dane and Milwaukee counties, are forecast to have travel impacts.
Snowfall outside the National Weather Service Milwaukee office on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024.
According to the National Weather Service in Milwaukee, visibility dropped to between a quarter- and half-mile on Thursday morning as heavy bands of snow moved through West Bend and Sheboygan.
The winter storm happens during Wisconsin’s Winter Weather Awareness Week.
The NWS Milwaukee office posted some wintry scenes, saying it was “aware.”