CHICAGO – Residents across parts of the Chicago area woke up Monday to the season’s first blanket of snow.
What we know:
The first snow of the season arrived late Sunday into overnight, with some areas seeing up to a foot.
Lake County, Kankakee, and northwest Indiana appear to be the hardest hit communities. Several school districts canceled classes or switched to e-learning.
Air travel also took a hit, with hundreds of flights canceled at both O’Hare and Midway airports. Some roadways also saw whiteout conditions, with wind gusts of nearly 60 mph reported.
Chicago’s first snowfall typically arrives later in the year. On average, the first trace appears around Oct. 31, measurable snow by Nov. 18, and the first inch or more by Dec. 7.
Check out the photo gallery below to see some of the pictures our FOX 32 viewers sent in!
Portage, Indiana | Pat H.
What’s next:
Central Cook County’s Winter Storm Warning was downgraded to a Winter Weather Advisory early Monday, with less snow expected in downtown Chicago.
After the lake-effect snowstorm, Veterans Day will be mostly cloudy with a chance for a light snow shower and highs near 40 degrees.
By midweek, sunnier skies return, with highs climbing into the upper 40s Wednesday and around 50 by Thursday.
The weekend looks much milder, with temperatures possibly reaching the 60s before rain showers move in on Sunday.
The Source: The information in this story came from FOX 32’s Mike Caplan, and the photos from FOX 32 viewers.