Gary, Indiana – Travel across northwest Indiana could become nearly impossible at times beginning Friday afternoon as a powerful lake-effect snow event targets communities near Lake Michigan through Saturday evening.
According to the National Weather Service in Chicago, a Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for Lake and Porter counties from Friday afternoon through early Saturday evening. Snowfall totals exceeding 6 inches are expected, especially near and north of U.S. Route 30, with isolated areas seeing up to a foot of snow if the heaviest lake-effect bands linger.
An initial round of accumulating snow is expected Friday morning, but the most dangerous conditions are forecast to develop Friday evening into Saturday morning. During this period, intense lake-effect snow bands may produce snowfall rates of 2 inches per hour or more, leading to near-whiteout visibility and rapidly deteriorating road conditions. Travel north of U.S. 30, including parts of Gary, Hammond, Portage, Chesterton, Merrillville, and Valparaiso, could be severely disrupted.
Forecasters warn that lake-effect snow bands can shift quickly, creating sharp contrasts in conditions over short distances. One community may experience blinding snow while nearby areas see only light accumulation.
Drivers are urged to avoid unnecessary travel, allow extra time if travel is unavoidable, and prepare for sudden changes in visibility. The Winter Storm Warning remains in effect through Saturday evening, with additional updates expected as band placement becomes clearer.
