Chicagoans awoke to a brisk New Year’s Day with scattered flurries and isolated snow showers that were expected to continue until 3:00 p.m., based on a forecast from the National Weather Service. The skies largely remained cloaked in clouds as temperatures hovered near 31 degrees, with a west wind introducing gusts as high as 25 mph, presenting just a slim 20% chance of precipitation as daylight waned.