ROCKFORD — A citywide snow emergency Friday evening kicked off a holiday weekend that could produce record-breaking lows and slick road conditions.

The Rockford Public Works Department declared the snow emergency until further notice beginning at 8 p.m. Friday. At the Chicago Rockford International Airport, 1.2 inches of snow accumulated by 6 p.m.

The emergency means that odd-even parking enforcement is in effect. Cars must be parked on even-numbered sides of the street on even-numbered days, and odd-numbered sides of the street on odd-numbered days. During the snow emergency, cars are permitted to park on sides of the streets labeled "no parking" on corresponding days. Vehicles must be moved to the correct side of the street by 8 a.m.

The residential area between 20th Street to Kishwaukee Street and Harrison Avenue to Rural Street has been problematic in the past because vehicles parked on both sides of the street, according to a city news release.

"We would encourage citizens in the area to move their vehicles either off the street or to the appropriate side of the street as specified by the odd/even parking," the news release states.

Snowfall is expected to taper off overnight, but cold weather will persist, said Ricky Castro, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Romeoville.

"It certainly will be cold out so we're not ruling out getting any (snow) next week," he said. "There will be no accumulating snow over the next couple days after (Friday night)."

The new year will get off to a chilly start Monday, with subzero temperatures near record lows. The high on New Year's Day is expected to reach 5 degrees; the low will drop to 11 below zero, according to the Weather Service.

"And we're forecasting colder than that," Castro said.

The lowest high temperature ever recorded in Rockford on New Year's Day is 4 degrees in 1974. The record low is 13 below zero set in 1968.

"It's certainly possible Monday could challenge or break a record for New Year's Day," Castro said.

The normal low temperature on New Year's Day in Rockford is 14 degrees, according to the Weather Service; last year, it was 17 degrees.

New Year's Eve temperatures are expected to remain in the single digits during the day and around 10 below zero in the evening. The record low for Dec. 31 in Rockford is 17 below zero in 1963.

Adam Poulisse: 815-987-1344; apoulisse@rrstar.com; @adampoulisse