Parts of the Upper Midwest with a rather paltry snowpack may get a quick stripe of snow just in time for a white Christmas.

(MORE: White Christmas Forecast)

Unfortunately, this snow may be poorly timed, namely, on Christmas Eve, when many will be flying into our out of one of the world's busiest airports, or traveling to Christmas Eve service or festivities.

Let's start with potential impact on Chicagoland, then break down who else may see significant snow.

Christmas Eve Forecast

Potential Chicago Impact

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory Wednesday morning for part of the Chicagoland metro.

Initially early on Christmas Eve day, temperatures near the surface will start out too warm to support snow reaching the ground in Chicagoland.

However, as the day wears on, both colder air aloft and upward motion in the atmosphere you typically see associated with intensifying low pressure systems, should change precipitation quickly over to wet snow over the metro area by Christmas Eve afternoon, before tapering off in the evening.

(CHICAGO FORECASTS:Hourly | Christmas | 5-Day)

Forecast guidance has been consistent on developing a narrow band of heavier snow Christmas Eve afternoon/evening, with snowfall rates possibly exceeding 1 inch per hour.

It now appears this band will set up mainly east of the Chicago metro, and move out a bit faster. Therefore, only light, slushy accumulations are expected in the city Christmas Eve afternoon into the evening.

This could still lead to delays out of O'Hare and Midway airports, and also some tricky travel on metro roads, once the snow begins to cool road surfaces sufficiently to allow accumulations to occur during the afternoon and evening.

If you have travel plans in Chicago on Christmas Eve, leave extra time to drive to your destination. Check your flight status before heading to the airport if O'Hare or Midway airports are on your itinerary.

Midwest Snow Forecast

Snow Elsewhere

That aforementionedsnowband will also blanket a swath from eastern Missouri to western and northern Lower Michigan.

(FORECASTS:St. Louis| Grand Rapids)

As we discussed in Chicago, the precipitation will start out as rain in Indiana and Michigan, before changing over to wet snow later Christmas Eve afternoon into the evening.

Parts of western and northern Lower Michigan, eastern Upper Michigan, northwest Indiana, and Illinois may pick up over 3 inches of wet snow through Christmas Eve night within that snowband.

Outside that snowband, lighter amounts around an inch or so can be expected, including the St. Louis metro.

In addition to the snow, north to northwest winds will intensify as the surface low deepens, leading to areas of reduced visibility.

(INTERACTIVE: Winter alerts)

If possible, get to your Christmas destination before the afternoon of Christmas Eve, to avoid driving in falling snow in these areas.

Incidentally, through Monday, Chicago's O'Hare Airport had not picked up any measurable snow yet in the month of December. The last time Chicago had gone this deep into December without measurable snow was 1996.

Their last measurable (more than a trace) snow was on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (Nov. 25). Last season, through Dec. 23, O'Hare had already picked up 10.3 inches of snow. This season, they've managed just 2.9 inches of snow, so far.

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