DeKALB | Bundle up, DeKalb.

More than a foot of snow could be on the ground by Wednesday morning, said Gilbert Sebenste, NIU meteorologist.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard watch for the DeKalb area from tonight through Wednesday afternoon. Sebenste said an upgrade to a blizzard warning is likely by Tuesday morning.

The worst of the blizzard will be Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Sebenste said, with between six and 12 inches of snow expected to fall. But the path of the storm system is still uncertain and currently difficult to track through the southwest United States.

Sebenste said once the snow is on the ground, the “drifting and blowing” off snowbanks will keep driving conditions poor.

During the height of the storm on Tuesday night, wind gusts could be between 40 and 50 miles per hour, Sebenste said.

“Obviously, dress warm,” he said.

After the storm passes, temperatures may drop below zero Wednesday night, Sebenste said. Highs on Thursday will be between 10 to 15 degrees.

“It will get quite cold after the system passes,” Sebenste said. “The snow will be [on the ground] for quite a long time.”

Steven Cunningham, associate vice president of Administration and Human Resource Services, said NIU was preparing for the blizzard Monday and continues to monitor its movement.

Twelve inches of snow during a winter storm is to be expected for this region, Cunningham said. Eighteen to 20 inches would be more likely to cause class cancellation.

“Right now we don’t see anything that would cause us to predict a cancellation of classes or operations during the day [today],” Cunningham said.

Cunningham said the administration will make further judgements about cancelling night classes in DeKalb and at NIU’s satellite campuses as the blizzard begins to move through the area.

Class cancellations due to weather are “relatively unusual,” at NIU, Cunningham said. He said, they happen once about every two to three years.

“But usually it’s weather systems that look like this, so we’ll see how it plays out,” he said.

Class cancellation is a major decision and is based on factors of wind chill, the weather forecast, the status of snow removal and road conditions, Cunningham said.

But students, staff and faculty should decide for themselves if they can make it to campus.

“Both students and employees, whenever there is severe weather, are encouraged to make their own judgement about travel and personal transportation,” he said.

According to the NIU Winter Weather Information home page, students are encouraged to sign up for Campus Advisory e-mails to be notified of class or campus status changes. Changes will also be posted on the NIU homepage.

Some students said they wouldn’t let the blizzard affect their class attendance.

Matt Winter, junior psychology major, said he would still attend class but wear extra layers.

Brandy Miller, freshman public health major, also said she couldn’t afford to miss class.

“I’ll dress warmly…and leave a little earlier to make it to class on time,” she said.

Samantha DuPuis and Kyle Obright, sophomore elementary education majors, said they might not brave the snow.

“It might be a little bit dangerous outside,” Obright said, “I might have to take a personal day.”

According to a City of DeKalb County Fire Department press release, 80 people die in the United States every year from winter storms and extreme cold. 37 people have died from exposure to cold in Illinois since 1997. This is more than the number that have died from severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, floods or lightning during that time.

Winter storms can “paralyze transportation systems” and cause automobile accidents on slippery roads, according to the release. Sebenste said travelers should be prepared for poor road conditions, which will be especially bad in open and rural areas where the snow can blow and drift freely.

Sebenste advised commuters to carry candles, warm blankets, and snacks in their cars when traveling in case they get stuck.

According to the City of DeKalb release it is advisable to prepare for up to three days of home isolation before winter storms. Extra water and non-perishable, high-energy foods like dried fruit and candy should be on hand. It is also good to keep flashlights and emergency heating equipment like fireplaces or space heaters.