Extreme Cold Warning: Chicago warning centers open, school closures and delays on Friday
Dangerously cold conditons have arrived in Chicago on Friday, bringing subzero temperatures and wind chills as low as 20 to 40 below zero.
An Extreme Cold Warning is in efect for Boone, Will, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Kankakee, Grundy, Lee, Lake, La Salle, McHenry, Winnebago and Livingston counties until 12 p.m. Friday.
According to the National Weather Service, exposure to the cold can cause frostbite in as little as 10 minutes, and there is an increased risk for hypothermia.
Chicago Public Schools announced it is canceling classes and closing schools Friday because of the extreme weather.
Chicago and Cook County Warming Centers
The City of Chicago operates warming centers during dangerous cold.
The Department of Family and Support Services' Garfield Center at 10 S. Kedzie Ave. is open 24 hours. Other DFSS community service centers are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., including:
- The Englewood Community Service Center at 1140 W. 79th St.
- The Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center at 4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
- The North Area Community Service Center at 845 W. Wilson Ave.
- The South Chicago Community Service Center at 8650 S. Commercial Ave.
- The Trina Davila Community Service Center at 4312 W. North Ave.
Chicago Public Library, Park District, and City College facilities, senior centers, community service centers, and police district stations are also pressed into service as warming centers. The city has posted a map of all the facilities.
Just to the north, the City of Evanston is opening five warming centers from Thursday through Saturday:
- Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave.: Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Robert Crown Community Center, 1801 Main St.: open daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Prieto Community Center, 430 Asbury Ave., Thursday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St., Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd., open daily, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Evanston residents in need of transportation to a warming center should call or text the City of Evanston via 311 or at 847-448-4311, or call the Evanston police non-emergency number at 847-866-5000.
Cook County is also opening three of its five suburban courthouses as warming centers beginning at 8:30 a.m. Thursday and continuing through 4:30 p.m. Monday of next week. Warming will be available at:
- The Skokie Courthouse, 5600 Old Orchard Rd.
- The Maywood Courthouse, 1500 Maybrook Dr.
- The Markham Courthouse, 16501 S. Kedzie Pkwy.
The courthouses will provide water and snacks and access to restrooms, and residents can bring their pets in cages or carriers. A limited number of cages or carriers will be available at the courthouse.
Other municipalities around suburban Cook County also operate warming centers.