Update: 1:20 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, 2013:

The National Weather Service has just cancelled its winter weather advisory for the the area. Originally, the advisory was supposed to last until 6 p.m.

The National Weather Service said that light snow and drizzle are expected to continue this afternoon, but no additional accumulations are expected.

Update: 4 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, 2013:

The morning commute is likely to be filled with winter driving challenges as the snowfall that began late Thursday mixes with or changes to freezing drizzle or light freezing rain.

Light freezing rain or drizzle can result in a light glaze of ice on road and other surfaces, according tot the National Weather Service’s winter weather advisory, which warns that drivers should be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibility and exercise caution while driving.

The National Weather Service issued another continuation of its winter weather advisory early Friday as the storm’s effects became clearer. The latest advisory again refined the projected snow accumulations to between 3 and 5 inches. Thursday afternoon, the weather service had increased the high end of that forecast slightly. The advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. Friday.

The band of moderate to occasionally heavy snow that rolled into the Tri-Cities are late Thursday is expected to continue to lift north out of the area early this morning, the National Weather Service said.

That means that at least locally, the heaviest snowfall rates are done in the area and have moved on to far northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana.

Still, winds gusting to 30 mph, occasionally increasing to 35 mph are expected.

“The morning commute may be hazardous due to slushy road conditions … blowing snow … and low visibilities,” the National Weather Service states. “Shoveling will also be difficult given the heavy wet snow.”

The advisory means drivers should be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibility and exercise caution while driving.

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UPDATE AT 4 p.m. THURSDAY

The National Weather Service’s latest winter weather advisory calls for a little more snow overnight, including gusty winds, possible brief whiteout driving conditions and a possible slushy mix of light freezing drizzle on Friday morning that likely will make the morning commute a risky venture.

The National Weather Service on Thursday afternoon continued its winter weather advisory, which remains in effect from 9 p.m. Thursday to 6 p.m. Friday and predicts 3 to 6 inches of snow, accompanied by a possible mix of light freezing drizzle on Friday morning.

The latest advisory on Thursday afternoon increased the maximum amount of snowfall expected to 6 inches from 5 inches that had been attached to the original advisory and subsequent updates overnight and into Thursday morning.

The snow developing Thursday evening is expected to change over to light freezing drizzle by Friday morning, possibly mixing with snow in the process, the National Weather Service advisory states.

Expect the heaviest snowfall late this evening into the early overnight hours, with rates of an inch or more of snow per hour and winds gusting to 30 mph, occasionally increasing to 35 mph.

The sometimes heavy snowfall, combined with the gusting winds, will cut visibility to less than a half a mile, the National Weather Service advises, and may create brief whiteout conditions through Friday morning.

In predicting 3 to 6 inches of snow, the National Weather Service states that locally higher amounts are possible, along with ice accumulations of less  than a tenth of an inch.

“The morning commute may be hazardous due to slushy road conditions … blowing snow … and low visibilities,” the National Weather Service states. “Shoveling will also be difficult given the heavy wet snow.”

The advisory means drivers should be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibility and exercise caution while driving.

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EARLIER COVERAGE

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory with snow and freezing rain in Kane County from 9 p.m. Thursday to 6 p.m. Friday.

Snow is expected to develop Thursday evening and continue into Friday, the National Weather Service said Wednesday afternoon. The snow may mix with light freezing drizzle or rain Friday morning, making for slick travel. Storm total snowfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches are expected, with ice accumulation of less than one-tenth of an inch.

Thr heaviest snowfall rates may hit an inch an hour late Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

Earlier Wednesday, Accuweather.com said it could prove to be the Chicago area’s “biggest snow of the year” from Thursday into Friday morning.

So far, we've received little more than a dusting, so is the "biggest snow of the year" going to be something on which we can sled?

The storm has the "potential to bring 3 inches or a bit more" to the area, but combined with another snow during the first part of next week, we might see a legit amount of Chicago winter white.

It still won't bring us up to even the totals of last year — not an epic snow year by any standards — when we had more than 15 inches by mid-February, Accuweather says.

Wednesday's sunny skies will give way to clouds by Thursday morning, with temperatures steadily rising to nearly 30 degrees by Thursday afternoon. The snow is expected to start falling in earnest around 7 p.m., according to weather.com, and continue until about 4 a.m. Friday.

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