Winter Storm Warning Issued for Rockford and The Stateline

Happy Leap Day! Get ready for a weather mess. Winter is not done yet.

(UPDATED AT 4:04pm) On the heals of temperatures that made it into the 60's across the Stateline on Sunday, comes word that we may get 4-7 inches of wet snow. Greater amounts are possible near the Illinois-Wisconsin border.

The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a Winter Storm Warning that will go into effect 9 pm this evening and remain in effect until 9 am on Tuesday.

The location of the heaviest snow will occur over the most Northern Illinois counties, including:

• Winnebago
• Boone
• Stephenson
• McHenry

Locations north of Interstate 80 will also get in on the snow action.

PINK = Winter Storm Warning : 4-7" of Snow
PURPLE = Winter Weather Advisory: 2-3" of Snow

Lesser amounts are expected in Ogle, Lee and DeKalb Counties where a Winter Weather Advisory has been posted. 2-3 Inches are expected along with the possibility of ice

The Nation Weather Service issued the following statement at 3:19pm:

..WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO
9 AM CST TUESDAY...

* TIMING...SNOW WILL BEGIN THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH
  TUESDAY MORNING. AT THE ONSET...PRECIPITATION MAY BRIEFLY
  START AS A MIX OF RAIN OR SLEET THEN QUICKLY TRANSITION TO ALL
  SNOW.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...HEAVY WET SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 7
  INCHES LIKELY...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER TOTALS POSSIBLE.

* OTHER IMPACTS...NORTHEASTERLY WINDS WILL GUST TO 30 MPH AT
  TIMES. THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE
  SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES RESULTING IN DANGEROUS TRAVEL
  CONDITIONS.

The National Weather Service reports that Rockford set a record high of 61 degrees on Sunday.

It bears noting that according to the Chicago Tribune, the great blizzard of 1967 was proceeded by exceptionally warm temperatures, in fact, it was 65 degrees just a couple of days before the snow fell.

BONUS VIDEO: The Rockford Area's Worst Railroad Crossing