Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The blizzard that was expected to engulf the Chicago area Monday night and Tuesday morning fell short of expectations, but blustery conditions, snow and dangerously cold temperatures are still expected Tuesday night and Wednesday.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory, which will be in effect from midnight Wednesday until midnight Thursday night, and a wind chill watch, which is in effect from late Wednesday night through Friday morning. Both the advisory and the watch are in effect for the northern regions of Illinois and Indiana.

Snow will blanket the area after midnight with accumulations of two to four inches.

Snow will continue during the day Wednesday and gradually begin tapering off to flurries toward the evening. After the storm ends, strong northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph winds with gusts of 30 mph will cause considerable drifting of the freshly fallen snow, according to the weather service. Dangerous wind chills of 20 to 35 below zero are likely Wednesday night through Thursday night.

Bitterly cold temperatures and strong winds will result in wind chills of 30 below or colder Wednesday night through Thursday night, the weather service said.

The winter weather advisory for snow and blowing snow means that visibilities will be limited due to strong winds blowing snow around, the weather service said. A wind chill watch means there is the potential for a combination of very cold air and strong winds to create dangerously low wind chill values.

An early blizzard warning prompted both O'Hare and Midway airports to "proactively" cancel a total of more than 350 flights Monday.

The city's 184 snow fighting trucks and 24 smaller plows were on side streets Tuesday morning, hoping to clear the 3,300-mile network of roads before dropping temperatures cause slush and snow to freeze over.

And it's no surprise the city's tab for clearing all those roads is piling up along with the snow. CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports that after a snowy December to remember, January is also off to a powdery start.

"Combining the numbers from December into now, we're probably well over the $10 million mark," said Streets and Sanitation spokesman Matt Smith. "We might be a little higher than that."

Last winter was one of the worst in 30 years. So far this year is also shaping up to be pretty miserable.

"It's certainly as bad as last years," Smith said. "But the difference is last winter is completed, we don't know what's going to happen this year."

What they do know is that this season's 36 inches of snow is just three inches shy of what the city normally sees in a full year.

In 2008, snow removal efforts cost about $15 million more dollars than in 2007, so bad winters can leave pretty large holes in the budget. That's why the department says it's stressing efficiency.

"When you're not efficient with snow removal, that's when money can go out the window," Smith said.

So to save money this past weekend, crews working side streets were ordered not to spread salt after the first wave of snow - that way the salt wouldn't be plowed away when crews made their final passes after the storm had moved out of the area.

"We went into those side streets and we just plowed," Smith said. "We did not put down salt because we knew that would be wasted."

According to forecasts Snow Command has received, the snow will begin with very light flurries and pick up in the early evening and overnight hours. While just 2 to 5 inches has been forecast, it's the combination of the snow and wind that will create blizzard-like conditions, especially near the lakefront.

Streets & San is advising residents to shovel early, as temperatures are expected to plummet over the next several days, which will "freeze up" existing snow and slush. Residents are asked to pile snow on parkways where grass is located, and not into streets.

State Police indicated that hazardous conditions are expected to continue and issued the following safety tips motorists should adhere to:

--Plan ahead and make sure before leaving that your trip is necessary;

--Don't crowd a snow plow and remember the operator's field of vision is restricted;

--Watch out for black ice and roads that appear treacherous and take it slower when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges and shady areas because they are all prone to icing;

--Dress warmly and in layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing in anticipation of emergencies;

--Make sure someone is aware of your travel route;

--Always keep an emergency car care kit that contains jumper cables, flares or reflectors, windshield washer fluid, a small ice scraper, traction material, blankets, non-perishable food and a first aid kit;

--Always carry a cell phone and wear a seat belt.

CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli, Ed Curran and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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