A winter storm that could bring the Chicago area its largest snowfall of the season is approaching, with some schools across the region announcing closures in anticipation of the inclement weather.

School closures in multiple Chicago suburbs have been announced , with many holding e-learning days in place of in-person learning.

Among the school districts announcing closures for Wednesday include Lyons Elementary School District 103 and St. Edward Catholic High School in Elgin, both switching to e-learning.

Additionally, Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53 said it was implementing an early dismissal schedule for Wednesday "to prioritize the safety of our students and staff." The district will not hold AM or PM pre-K classes Wednesday.

Closures are posted to the Emergency Closing Center website as they are announced, which can be found here.

The announcements come as the Chicago area was upgraded from a winter storm watch to a winter weather advisory.

The alert from the National Weather Service, which takes effect Wednesday morning, warns of the potential for anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of snow across the region.

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Heavy, widespread snow was expected to fall throughout the day Wednesday, with the highest totals expected during the afternoon and evening.

" Prepare for hazardous travel conditions , especially during the afternoon and evening commute when we expect the highest snowfall rates (potentially exceeding 1 inch per hour at times)," the NWS said.

Sharply reduced visibility, snow-covered roads and treacherous travel were all possible, the NWS warned.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education , districts are limited to five E-learning days per year.

Chicago Public Schools, which had not announced any closures as of Tuesday, has its own set of guidelines for determining if schools will close due to weather.

"Chicago Public Schools’ goal is to always have schools open. We don’t want students to miss valuable learning time and meals they may depend on as part of the school day," the district states on its website . "Therefore, CPS will do everything possible to keep classes in session as long as it is safe for students and staff."