The first snowfall of winter packed far less of a punch in McHenry County than forecasters predicted, but high winds combined with cold temperatures will slow the morning commute.

The major roadways throughout the county are clear this morning as crews worked overnight salting and retreating, said Mark DeVries, maintenance superintendent for the McHenry County Division of Transportation. Problems still exist in the more rural areas of the county, where whipping winds continue to blow snow across the roads.

“Overall, the roads are in good shape,” DeVries said. “There shouldn’t be any problems on the highly-traveled roads, but we are working to get everything scraped and cleared. This could have been a lot worse.”