A winter storm moving across Illinois is forecast to bring as much as 9 inches of snow to areas of the state.

The National Weather Service early Wednesday issued winter storm warnings stretching from St. Louis north to the Chicago

area, including central and southeastern Illinois. Blizzard warnings were in effect from north of Vandalia to Champaign and north to Kankakee. The northwestern parts of the state looked to be unaffected.

Forecasters warn of hazardous driving conditions, citing strong winds gusting up to 50 mph and locally heavy snowfall.

Downed trees and power lines knocked power out for thousands across the X95 listening area, with one woman in Salem reporting a tree and power lines were down across the road on South Washington and a power line was also on her vehicle.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Clint Taylor reported that road conditions were deteriorating rapidly. Taylor says his office responded to multiple accidents, and approximately 1,000 utility customers in Jefferson County were without power.

According to Taylor, it was developing into a very dangerous situation, and he highly recommended no travel unless in an emergency.

Weather was to blame for a three-car crash including an Illinois State Trooper on Wednesday.

The Jefferson County Fire Department says a trooper was helping a driver that slid off south bound I-57 near mile marker 82.
Another vehicle traveling southbound slid into the back of the ISP cruiser.

The trooper and the person the trooper was originally helping were transported to a nearby hospital.