A winter weather advisory was issued for a portion of northwest Indiana, with the possibility of lake-effect snow causing disruptions for the Tuesday morning commute.
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for LaPorte County on Monday afternoon, warning of possibly hazardous travel conditions in the evening and early Tuesday.
LaPorte County was expecting total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches, with the greatest snow forecast east of US 35. Authorities warned drivers to slow down and take caution ahead of the snowstorm, as well as to be prepared for sudden changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions.
“During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from bands of locally heavy snow to dry weather just a few miles away,” according to the NWS. “Visibilities can also vary greatly.”
The winter weather alert was issued when heavy snow fell in southwest Michigan, causing a huge pileup that shut down Interstate 94 for hours.
While the majority of the Chicago region remained clear, lake-effect snow was possible elsewhere in northern Indiana, particularly in northeastern Porter County.
Counties to the east in northern Indiana were bracing for higher snow accumulations as a result of significant lake effect snow. The NWS predicted 4 to 7 inches of snow in St. Joseph County, where a winter storm warning was in effect until Tuesday AM.
Meteorologists predicted that the heaviest snow totals — up to 10 inches — will fall in Berrien and Cass counties in southwest Michigan, reaching into northern Indiana along Interstate 80/90.
Reference: Lake-effect snow possibility leads to winter weather advisory in NW Indiana
