WSIL -- A lot of frost Wednesday morning on windshields, so allow some extra time to warm up the car.
A lot of clouds are expected Wednesday, but temperatures will remain just below average, highs will be in the lower 40s. It's the calm before the storm.
Waking up Thursday morning, temperatures will be above freezing with most in the mid to upper 30s. A few light rain showers are possible, but amounts will remain very light.
By noon, the cold front will be moving through southwest Illinois and parts of southeast Missouri, approaching a line from Mt. Vernon to Murphysboro to Patton, Missouri. By 2 p.m. the cold front will be cross the Ohio River and tracking into Kentucky and the Missouri Bootheel.
A heavy burst of rain will quickly change to a heavy burst of snow right along the cold front. There could be a small lull just behind the boundary, but snow will quickly pick back up. The heaviest snow will likely fall before 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday afternoon and evening. With strong winds expected, near whiteout conditions are possible at times. Travel could be impacted significantly.
Snowfall amounts will likely range from 2 to 4 inches across most of southern Illinois and western Kentucky, though isolated 4-5 inch spots are possible. Amounts will get lighter farther to the southwest, especially near the Missouri/Arkansas state lines.
Snow will wrap up quickly Thursday evening, but the effects will continue to be felt. Bitterly cold air spills in behind the cold front with temperatures plummeting from the lower 40s Thursday morning, to the single digits by Thursday evening.
A Wind Chill Warning has been issued Thursday evening and Friday morning for the first time since January 2014. Wind chills Thursday night and Friday morning may approach -30 in parts of southern Illinois. Wind chills will remain below zero Friday and at least through Saturday morning.
Due to the cold temperatures, the strong winds, and the fluffy nature of the snow, travel could remain difficult in some locations for several days.
