Evanston City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz says Public Works Agency crews are out in force this morning dealing with the overnight lake-effect snowfall.
Bobkiewicz say that as of 6 a.m. about four inches of snow had fallen and that snow is falling at the rate of about an inch an hour. James Maiworm of the public works staff says the snowfall should ease off around 8 a.m. with skies clearing later.
Evanston schools reportedly are operating normally today.
Bobkiewicz says the city’s street sweeping parking rules are suspended through Wednesday. Whether there will be snow-related parking restrictions later today has yet to be determined.
Update 9:15 a.m.: Maiworm says the lake effect snow threat fulfilled its promise. Overnight four inches of snow fell in in about two hours — from 4 to 6 a.m.
Although Public Works had additional crews on hand to clear the snow overnight, rapid snowfall rates and timing close to rush hour is caused slippery traveling this morning.
For the rest of today, Maiworm says, “We expect periods of snow showers until about 10 a.m. with a half inch of additional accumulation possible. T then the lake effect should tpper off to flurries until about 2 p.m. The sky should clear and we may even see some sun.”
He adds that Public Works has numerous extra crews on the streets today. “Our focus will be to clear all roads by rush hour this evening. Crews will be working residential streets as well as main roads through out the City. Additional crews are working on City maintained parking lots and sidewalks.”
Later this week temperatures are expected to rise with the chance of rain on Friday with temperatures close to 50.
Parking restrictions may be needed overnight to assist in the cleanup. Final determination about that will be made later today.