Chicago, IL – Illinois residents are being urged to brace for a stretch of unsettled winter weather as a series of Alberta Clippers may bring pop-up snowstorms every other day from Saturday, December 7, through Friday, December 13, according to early forecasts. The setup could lead to repeated travel hazards across Chicago, northern Illinois, and much of the Midwest.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), an intensifying northwest flow will direct multiple clipper disturbances across the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest next week. Often called the “Clipper Express,” these fast-moving systems typically create quick bursts of snow, patchy blowing snow, and rapid temperature drops.
The first disturbance is projected to reach Illinois Saturday night, with additional systems likely arriving roughly every 48 hours. While it is still too early to pin down specific snow totals, even brief accumulation may affect morning and evening commutes across Chicago, Cook County, and surrounding suburbs.
Forecasters warn that the path of each clipper remains uncertain, and small shifts could determine which parts of Illinois receive snow and how intense each burst becomes. Because Alberta Clippers tend to organize quickly, the NWS says residents should expect short-notice forecast adjustments through December 13.
Potential impacts extend beyond Chicago to Rockford, Peoria, Champaign-Urbana, and communities across northern and central Illinois—areas situated directly beneath the active jet stream guiding these disturbances.
The NWS urges residents to follow trusted weather updates as new data arrives, noting that timing and intensity will become clearer later in the week.
