Many McHenry County school districts cancel in-person Tuesday classes as winter storm loomed

Morning update: The following schools have said they will conduct learning remotely Tuesday: Alden-Hebron School District 19, Algonquin-based Community Unit School District 300, Cary School District 26, Crystal Lake Elementary District 47, Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155, Fox River Grove Elementary School District 3, Harrison School District 36, Johnsburg School District 12, McHenry Community High School District 156, Nippersink School District 2, Prairie Grove District 46, and Richmond-Burton Community High School District 157.

Huntley School District 158 will not have any school, neither remote nor in-person, according to its website.

To stay up-to-date on Tuesday’s weather today, go here.

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Some McHenry County school districts called off holding in-person classes Tuesday, instructing all students to learn remotely as a winter snowstorm looms, with forecasters predicting up to 8 inches of accumulation in McHenry County.

Algonquin-based Community Unit School District 300, McHenry Community High School District 156, Prairie Grove District 46, Crystal Lake Elementary District 47, Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155, Alden-Hebron School District 19 and Fox River Grove Elementary School District 3 called off the in-person classwork scheduled for Tuesday as the storm approached Monday afternoon.

“Students will be required to log into classes remotely, if not logged in they will be marked absent,” according to the Alden-Hebron cancellation notice. “If for any reason there is an internet issue, please call your child’s building attendance line and leave a message.”

Isolated power outages resulting from the storm are possible, the National Weather Service warned, because of “the combined effects of the wet, heavy snow and gusty winds.”

The call for remote learning by District 300 came after the district said earlier in the day Monday it did not expect to close schools Tuesday.

“The good news is that we have seen the storm downgraded throughout the day and our forecasting service currently shows that our area is expected to receive 2 to 4 inches of snow over the next 24 hours,” the district said in an announcement on its webpage.

The weather service issued a winter storm warning and a hazardous weather outlook for much of northern Illinois from 4 p.m. Monday until noon Tuesday, warning some areas may see as much as 8 inches of snow accumulate and that a wintry mix of freezing rain is possible, with windy northeast gusts of up to 40 mph.

Most of McHenry County was forecasted to see snowfall begin about 6 p.m., while the southwest portion of the county could see snow begin earlier, according to the National Weather Service. Snow will be light for one to two hours before picking up in intensity. The heaviest snow is expected between 6 p.m. Monday and midnight.

After 8 p.m., patchy blowing snow is expected in McHenry County. The overnight low temperature is forecast to hit 27 degrees.

About 6 p.m., the National Weather Service said moderate snowfall was moving into portions of northern Illinois, with road conditions along and west of Interstate 39 already deteriorating.

“Steadier snowfall rates of moderate to briefly heavy intensity are developing across northern Illinois, especially north of Interstate 80,” according to the weather service.

McHenry Township Highway Commissioner Jim Condon said his crews are ready to handle clearing the roads.

“Slow steady snow mostly overnight with little traffic at that time. I don’t believe it will be too much of an issue,” Condon said. “Maybe some problems in open areas with drifting as winds pick up.”

Woodstock Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Parsons said motorists should expect a little bit of slickness on the roads, but said his city’s public works department typically does a good job at keeping streets navigable. He warned drivers to stay cautious on Route 14, especially, for blowing snow.

“Avoid driving as much as possible, take your time and keep your eyes on the road instead of cell phones,” Parsons said.

The Illinois Tollway is deploying its full fleet of 196 snowplows and opening its Snow Operations Center to coordinate a response across the state’s tollway network to the winter storm, according to a news release.

Illinois Tollway advised drivers to slow down and allow for additional time to travel as heavy snowfall and high winds may reduce visibility on the roads and cause slippery stretches of pavement.

Snowfall will change to a wintry mix of precipitation south of Interstate 80 shortly after its onset, according to the National Weather Service.

“Our crews will be working throughout this storm to keep our roads clear and our customers safe,” Illinois Tollway Executive Director José Alvarez said in the release. “We’re reminding drivers to slow down and be alert for varying roadway conditions as this storm moves through our area. Drivers should steer clear of plows and emergency vehicles so they have the extra room they need to safely do their work.”

The city of Crystal Lake recommended that those who must travel during the storm should keep an extra flashlight, food and water in their vehicles in case of emergency.

Current road conditions can be found at www.gettingaroundillinois.com.

This story will be updated.