The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake and LaSalle counties from 9 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Sunday.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for DeKalb, McHenry, Winnebago, Boone, Ogle and Lee counties from 9 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. Sunday.
WATCH: ABC7 AccuWeather Forecast
A flood watch was issued at midnight Saturday for DuPage, Cook, Kendall, Grundy, Will, Kankakee, Lake County in Indiana and Porter counties. It extends through midnight Sunday.
WATCH: CHICAGO WEATHER: FLOOD WATCH ISSUED FOR MULTIPLE COUNTIES AS RAIN SLAMS CHICAGO AREA
There is also a lakeshore flood warning from Friday night through Saturday night. Waves 12 to 16 feet tall are possible, according to ABC7 Meteorologist Larry Mowry, along with wind gusts of up to 40 to 50 miles per hour.
Because Lake Michigan water levels have been high all year, the flooding on the lakefront could create very hazardous conditions for drivers and pedestrians alike.
The pedestrian path on the Lakefront Trail is closed south of Fullerton Avenue, and both bike and pedestrian trails are closed from North Avenue to Ohio Street, the Chicago Park District said.
Waves along the lakefront could reach as high as 12 to 15 feet, maybe even more.
"Once you get past five or six feet you're talking about potentially dangerous waves," said Rich Guidice, executive director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communication.
The National Weather Service warns that the high waves and winds combined with record-high lake levels could worsen the already heavy beach erosion, especially in the Rogers Park neighborhood where there's been an effort to repair the damage. And that means a potential for heavy damage to lakefront property.
"It's certainly possible we could see some damage from the storm this weekend in the short term," said Cathy Breitenbach, cultural and natural resources director for the Chicago Park District. "We are doing what we can to try to mitigate that erosion."
The predicted inclement weather caused O'Hare to cancel more than 700 flights, as of Saturday morning. Midway had canceled more than 20 by the same time.
The storm will begin with rain. Overnight into Saturday morning, rain will begin to change over to sleet and freezing rain across the northern and western suburbs.
RELATED: Top 5 biggest snowstorms in Chicago
By 9 a.m. Saturday, the northern suburbs will start to see snow as temperatures drop below freezing along the Wisconsin border. Freezing rain is expected to be widespread across the Chicago area on Saturday, leading to hazardous travel conditions.
Ice accumulations will be possible during the day on Saturday, and that will cut down on snow accumulations across the city, western and south suburbs. The south suburbs could expect to see as much as 2 to 4 inches of rain, especially along and south of I-55.
How much snow is expected to fall in Chicago depends on when the temperature drops below freezing, but much of the area can expect to see 1 to 6 inches of snow after the ice and rain.
NORTH, WEST SUBURBS PREP FOR HEAVY SNOWFALL
At least 6 inches of snow is likely across much of McHenry County and northwestern Lake County. Accumulations of up to 9 inches could be possible in southern Wisconsin.
IDOT deployed an army of salt trucks as well as minutemen for drivers who end up stranded.
"This is anticipated to be a very unusual storm," said Maria Castaneda, IDOT spokesman. "If you don't have to be out on the road, it might be a good idea to rethink your travel plans."
The forecast doesn't just call for several inches of snow, but a thick layer of ice below it, so they are planning on needing several hundred tons of salt to deal with the weekend storm.
Luckily, a dry and mild winter so far has left the store stocked with plenty of supplies.
The Illinois Tollway tweeted that they are preparing their fleet of snowplows in advance of the storm moving in. Drivers who must travel during the storm should allow additional travel time, go slow, and allow ample space between you and car in front of you. If you need help, pull onto a shoulder, stay in your car, and dial *999.
AIRLINES PREPARE FOR TRAVEL DISRUPTIONS FROM WINTER STORM
United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are preparing for the bad weather as well.
United has issued a travel waiver for Chicago for anyone traveling on Jan. 11 or 12. Travelers on those days can change their flights for no cost on the mobile app, by direct messaging the airline on Twitter or by calling the reservations line at 1-800-864-8331.
We’ve issued a travel waiver for Chicago due to anticipated winter weather. If you're traveling 1/11 - 1/12, you can change your flight at no cost on our mobile app, by direct messaging us here or calling Reservations at 1-800-864-8331. Waiver: https://t.co/IF60Hh7jBZ pic.twitter.com/CTTEg9MDxq
— United Airlines (@united) January 9, 2020
Southwest is telling passengers to check their flights due to the potentially disruptive weather, and said they can explore rebooking options on Southwest's website.
American Airlines said passengers traveling from O'Hare may be eligible to change their flights with the change fee and fare difference waived if they booked an American Airline flight before Jan. 9, are scheduled to travel Jan. 11 or 12, can travel between Jan. 9 and 14, don't change their origin or destination city and rebook in the same cabin or pay the difference.
If your trip is eligible for such changes, you can book a one-time change online. Click here to see American Airlines travel alerts.
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Chicago weather: Winter Storm Warning, Winter Storm Watch issued for multiple counties; 700+ flights canceled - WLS-TV
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