Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Gurnee, IL

DISCUSSION
Issued at 230 PM CDT Mon Mar 16 2026

Snow showers continue this afternoon across much of the area, but especially the eastern half of the cwa. Visibilities in these snow showers have been reported to near zero at times and opted to issue a winter weather advisory for this potential for all but the Chicago metro area until 00z. Even outside these snow showers, northwest winds gusting as high as 40 mph will also produce areas of blowing and drifting snow. These northwest winds will slowly diminish during the evening which will allow the blowing snow threat to also slowly diminish through this evening.

The snow showers are expected to slowly dissipate in intensity and coverage by early this evening. However, many of the models continue to show at least isolated snow showers through late evening and possibly into the early overnight hours. Have included slight chance pops for this potential. However, given how strong these current snow showers are, if snow showers were to continue tonight, they too would have the potential for brief low visibility and perhaps some minor snow accumulations.

This potential for snow showers tonight may delay clearing skies, but some clearing is expected by daybreak, especially across the northwest cwa. This combined with the fresh snow pack will allow temps to drop into the low single digits across the northwest cwa, likely low teens for the rest of the area. Wind speeds still in the 10 to 15 mph range will allow wind chills to drop as low as 10 below zero early Tuesday morning.

A clipper system will move across the area Tuesday night bringing a period of light accumulating snow to the area. There remains some uncertainty for amounts and the overall trend from the 12z guidance is for amounts to be a bit lower as the wave weakens as it moves across the area. Still expecting snowfall amounts of 1-2 inches but its also possible for some areas to see under an inch. Looks to be a low qpf, high pop event. The bulk of the snow should be over by daybreak Wednesday, but some lingering snow is possible Wednesday morning, especially across northwest IN. Temps are expected to be slowly warming into the mid 20s by daybreak Wednesday, but with temps below freezing and the snow falling at night, untreated surfaces are expected to become snow covered and slippery.

Another weak wave moves southeast across the area late Wednesday night into Thursday morning and may produce some light qpf, especially over Lake Michigan and into northern IN and southwest MI. Temps by this time look to be around or just above freezing.
Thus anything that does fall, looks to be mainly rain.
Confidence is also low with this potential and trends will need to be monitored.

An overall warmer pattern is expected for the end of the week and the weekend. Though there will be a cold front late Friday afternoon into Friday night that could turn temps cooler, especially near Lake Michigan. Then a second, stronger cold front may move across the area Saturday night or early Sunday morning, with temps returning to near normal or below normal Sunday into Monday. cms

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/
Issued at 105 PM CDT Mon Mar 16 2026

Key aviation forecast messages:

- Snow with embedded heavier snow showers will end from west to east through the afternoon

- Gusty NW winds to 30-35 kt this afternoon will lead to blowing snow and associated reduced VSBY, especially at RFD/DPA

- Additional snow showers may redevelop into this evening

The back edge of the band of snow is approaching the I-39 corridor early this afternoon. A trailing thin layer of stratus may still produce flurries through this evening with the primary driver of reduced visibility at RFD being blowing snow.

Farther to the east, embedded heavier snow showers are still ongoing over the Chicago metro area. This may lead to dips in visibility as low as 1 to 2 miles through mid afternoon. Areas south of I-80 could have VSBY reductions below 1/2 mile at times. There remains a signal for northwest to southeast oriented narrow bands of snow redeveloping into this evening which could result in brief periods of reduced visibility if one were to move directly overhead. Have TEMPO groups accounting for this for the Chicago area terminals with a PROB30 for RFD.

Ceilings will remain mainly MVFR through this evening, though brief periods of VFR will be possible given how thin the trailing stratus layer is. Expect the MVFR stratus to eventually scatter out overnight. Increasing high clouds are expected Tuesday afternoon ahead of our next weather system.

Winds will remain strong out of the west northwest through sunset with gusts in the 30-35 kt range, with sporadically higher gusts up to near 40 kt possible early this afternoon.
Gusts ease into this evening and overnight with winds turning west and then southwest through the day on Tuesday.

Petr

LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
IL...Winter Weather Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for ILZ003- ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ008-ILZ010-ILZ011-ILZ012-ILZ019-ILZ020- ILZ021-ILZ023-ILZ032-ILZ033-ILZ039-ILZ105-ILZ106-ILZ107- ILZ108.

IN...Winter Weather Advisory until 7 PM CDT /8 PM EDT/ this evening for INZ001-INZ002-INZ010-INZ011-INZ019.

LM...Gale Warning until 10 PM CDT this evening for the IL and IN nearshore waters.