Chicago winter wallop: Blizzard, dangerous wind chills, half-foot of snow predicted

Chicago could get hit with a major storm this week, like the one that hit in February, covering this North Side street in snow. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

A major winter storm is expected to hit the Chicago area ahead of Christmas, with blizzard-like conditions in some places, at least half a foot of snow and dangerous wind chills that could lead to “life-threatening cold.”

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch extending from Thursday evening through Saturday morning. Total snowfall amounts may vary as the storm gets closer, but forecasts of strong winds and plummeting temperatures have remained constant.