LINCOLN, Ill. — A light wintry mix is expected late Wednesday evening into early Thursday across central Illinois, with a narrow band of snow and pockets of light icing that could leave some roads slick for the Thursday morning commute, according to the National Weather Service in Lincoln.
In a Wednesday afternoon update, the weather service said a narrow snow band could set up overnight, and localized amounts over 1 inch are possible within that band. Forecasters said the most likely corridor for the snow band is roughly from Macomb to Tuscola, though they cautioned the exact placement remains uncertain and could shift.
South of the snow band, a corridor of light sleet or freezing drizzle is possible and could lead to a glaze of ice, the weather service said. Even if precipitation ends before sunrise, lingering slick spots may remain into the early commute period Thursday.
The Lincoln office’s timing graphic highlighted impacts mainly from about 8 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday, with “minor travel impacts possible into Thursday morning.”
Probabilistic outlooks shared by the agency showed the chance of at least 0.5 inches of snow highest in parts of west-central Illinois near the likely snow-band corridor, while smaller chances extend eastward into the I-57 corridor. A separate map showed low-to-moderate probabilities of at least a trace of ice south of the snow band, consistent with the sleet and freezing drizzle risk.
Drivers are urged to slow down on bridges, overpasses and untreated secondary roads, where slick spots can develop quickly overnight. People with early shifts, students and commuters may want to build extra time into Thursday morning travel plans, especially where the snow band sets up.
Forecast confidence is highest in light amounts overall, but the weather service emphasized that small shifts in the snow band could change which towns see the most accumulation.
