Rain and snow, wind gusts over 50 mph impact Chicago area as temperatures plummet

Winds over 50 miles per hour and a wintry mix of rain and snow created hazardous road conditions for commuters Monday morning as temperatures plummeted in the Chicago area.

Temperatures fell up to 50 degrees over 12 hours, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Kluber. At O'Hare International Airport, the temperature dropped from 56 degrees Sunday afternoon to 14 degrees early Monday morning.

Wind gusts peaked at 53 mph at O'Hare and at 49 mph at Midway International Airport, according to the weather service. Meanwhile, Monday morning snow showers created slick roads with low visibility in some areas.

"As you have much warmer air really pushing north, then that means there's probably some arctic air coming in from Canada," Kluber said. "As the warm air gets all the way up to the metro area this far north, you then have that cold front that swings on back right behind that.

"That kind of helps feed into the storm system and make it a little stronger. That's why we're seeing as much wind as we are here as well."

Subzero wind chills remained in the area Monday morning as snow showers began to taper off. Westerly winds are expected to slowly diminish throughout the day, the weather service said.

A wind advisory remains in effect for northern Illinois and northwest Indiana until noon, according to the weather service.

The next chance for snow in the Chicago area is expected New Year's Eve.