Chicago weather forecast: Several inches of snow expected Saturday | Winter Storm Warning to go into effect this weekend in IL

CHICAGO (WLS) — After enjoying a hearty Thanksgiving meal, Chicagoans will probably want to start looking for their snow gear.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to view

The winter storm is expected to drop several inches of snow in the Chicago area through Saturday morning.

Black Friday started with single-digit wind chills, but remained dry overall.

National Weather Service upgrades previous winter storm watch winter storm warningWhich is going to be effective for the Chicago area at 3 am on Saturday and will remain in effect till 6 am on Sunday.

ABC7 AccuWeather meteorologist Jasol Martinez says the first snowfall in the area is expected around 3 or 4 a.m. Saturday. The heaviest snow is expected to fall during the afternoon and evening hours.

There is a possibility of rain and snow in some parts of the region on Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Areas around Chicago and northwest Indiana could see five to eight inches of snowfall, while areas north and west of the city could see more than eight inches of snow.

After the snow recedes, it will remain cold on Sunday with night minimum temperatures in the single digits.

For the Midwest and East Coast, the storm could create dangerous conditions for thousands of people returning home after Thanksgiving.

Cook County Radar | DuPage County Radar | Will County Radar | Lake County Radar (IL) | Kane County Radar | northwest indiana radar