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Much of Illinois woke up Wednesday morning to more than a few inches of snow on the ground as a winter storm blew in late the night before.

By noon, many areas of the state were reporting anywhere between 6 to 10 inches of snow on the ground with more snow still falling and a second wave coming on Thursday.  Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a disaster declaration on Tuesday.

To make matters worse, winds are expected to gust more than 30 mph over the next day or two causing hazardous travel across most of the state.

Much of central and northeastern Illinois has snow covered roads.

“The roadway conditions remain extremely hazardous throughout IL. If you must travel, be cautious & pay attention for vehicles, squad cars, & other emergency responders!! ” the Illinois State Police posted on its Twitter page by 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Wednesday afternoon that travel conditions are expected to continue to deteriorate from the impacts of a major winter storm that will be felt for several days, while urging the public to postpone all unnecessary trips. Since last night, more than 10 inches of snow has fallen in the hardest-hit regions of the state, with expected blowing and drifting, combined with falling temperatures, likely producing extremely dangerous travel conditions during the overnight hours and into Thursday.

“The Illinois Department of Transportation is using all of its available resources to keep roads as safe as possible, but we ask for the public’s continued cooperation by delaying nonessential travel and staying home,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “This storm clearly will be a marathon and not a sprint, with the snow, ice, high winds and bitter cold presenting challenges for our snow-and-ice teams and the traveling public over the next several days. Your help and patience will remain key to ensuring the safety of everyone, even after the storm has passed.”

The National Weather Service as part of an ongoing winter storm warning is predicting another round of snow starting later today for much of central and southeastern Illinois, along with parts of the Chicago area, with the potential for 6 to 10 additional inches or more in some areas. Significant ice and sleet accumulations are possible south of Interstate 70 in southern Illinois, creating extremely slippery surfaces and slick conditions.

Winds in excess of 30 mph will produce blowing and drifting snow tonight and through Thursday, reducing the effectiveness of plowing operations and leading to treacherous conditions. Colder air is expected to bring subzero temperatures by Friday morning.

Due to the long duration of the storm, sustained high winds and severe cold reducing the ability of materials to treat the roads, as well as the challenges of staffing a prolonged winter weather event, IDOT is asking the public to remain patient, use caution and prepare for much longer travel times to persist, with snow-and-ice response and cleanup efforts potentially lasting several days.

Numerous crashes and incidents of vehicles leaving the road have occurred across the state. For updates on the latest emergency road closures, visit idot.illinois.gov or click here.

Before going out, drivers can check road conditions at http://gettingaroundIllinois.com.  

Here are some photos captured Wednesday throughout the state,

Westbound Interstate 80 to southbound I-57 in the southern Cook County region Wednesday around 7 a.m. (IDOT photo)

A cyclist braving the elements in downtown Chicago Wednesday morning. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Streets and Sanitation)

Truck heading eastbound on I-80 in Bureau County in western Illinois Wednesday. (IDOT photo)

Mix of snow and freezing rain and winds early Wednesday morning made traveling in central Illinois dangerous. Pictured is I-74/474 near East Peoria. (IDOT photo)

A couple of jackknifed semis trailer trucks on I-74 at U.S. 51 south of Bloomington shut down traffic for awhile Wednesday morning.(IDOT photo)

I-74 and Jefferson in Peoria Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. (IDOT photo)

Crews clearing the streets near the state capitol in Springfield prior to Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivering his State of the State on Wednesday. (IDNR photo)

Crews clearing the streets near the state capitol in Springfield prior to Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivering his State of the State on Wednesday. (IDNR photo)

Residents in Chicago’s southwestern suburbs wait to dig out as snow continued fall throughout the afternoon Wednesday. (Chronicle Media photo)

VIDEO: Traffic on northbound Interstate 55/72 Springfield.

Pritzker issues disaster declaration ahead of severe winter storm