• UPDATED 9AM MONDAY, DEC. 5, 2016.

Kane County got hammered with more than a half-foot of snow Sunday in the first big winter storm of the season.

Kane County Division of Transportation crews were called out at around 7:30 a.m. Sunday (Dec. 4, 2016) as steady, light snow began to fall in the northern half of the county. Trucks salted all wet pavement as road temperatures were near the freeze point and expected to cover over on bridge decks and box culverts.

As the day went on, the snow fell more heavily and more consistently, with reports of 3 inches to 6 inches throughout Kane County. It eventually got higher than that.

The official snowfall for Chicago was 6.4 inches, observed at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.  The 6.4 inches of snowfall at Chicago also broke the record for daily snowfall for Dec. 4, which was 5.1 inches, set in 2010.

According to the National Weather Service, Geneva had the highest total in Kane County, reporting 7.4 inches. Elburn, North Aurora and Elgin sites each reported 7 inches.

Other snowfall amounts include 8.1 inches at the NWS Chicago in Romeoville and 5.5 inches observed 3 miles southwest of Chicago Midway International Airport.

• Click here for the NWS Chicago regional snowfall totals.

Fortunately, KDOT crews had prepared with a series of dry runs.

The National Weather Service is predicting a wet winter, so  snow plow drivers  have been out practicing their routes, exercising the equipment and conducting radio checks to make sure everything was in proper working order.

New drivers got their first look at heavy snow Sunday. Each snow plow has one driver, of course, but the all-wheel-drive trucks with larger wing plows can take two operators — a driver and a wing-plow operator.

Snow plow operations at Kane County have changed over the years, with new salt and de-icing products, more efficient technologies and reorganizing routes to provide a more-efficient level of service.

The number of plows needed for a full winter event call-out has decreased, even while the number of lane-miles in the county highway system have grown. More often these days, the county uses treated salt, which works with a wider temperature range and has better sticking power.

Environmentalists can rest easier, too, knowing that the treated salt mixture has magnesium or calcium chloride and a carbohydrate, such as a product from sugar beet or corn, which helps it stay on the road. This special mixture helps the melting process.

Plows are now outfitted with electronic ground speed salting controllers. This means, as the vehicle slows down, so does the amount of salt that is spread, applying appropriately calculated amounts of salt along the routes, making operations and material use more cost-effective and ecologically sensitive.

Monday’s Weather

Expect dangerous driving conditions Monday. The National Weather Service Chicago says there will be areas of dense freezing fog before noon. The forecast is cloudy, with a high near 31 and south winds of 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Winter Driving Tips

The American Automobile Association (AAA) offers the following tips to help keep you safe on the roads while driving in the snow:

• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
• Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
• The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to 10 seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
• Know your brakes. If you have anti-lock brakes and need to slow down quickly, press hard on the pedal-it’s normal for the pedal to vibrate a bit when the ABS is activated. In cars without ABS, use “threshold” breaking, keeping your heel on the floorboard and using the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
• Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
• Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed down hill as slowly as possible.
• Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
• Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don’t tempt fate: If you don’t have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.

Interested to know more? Visit www.co.kane.il.us/dot for additional information on winter maintenance operations or call 630-584-1170.

SOURCE: Kane County Division of Transportation

About the Kane County Division of Transportation

KDOT’s mission is to  provide and maintain a safe and efficient transportation system while maintaining the county’s visions and values. Serving a population of more than 520,000, Kane County’s transportation infrastructure is constantly being enhanced to accommodate growth. Kane County Division of Transportation employees are responsible for the maintenance, planning, design and construction of more than 320 miles of roadway. KDOT also provides technical assistance to the 16 townships and coordinates with a number of different state, regional, and local agencies on transportation and land use issues. For more information, visit the Kane County Division of Transportation website and Facebook page.