Chicago temperatures plummet double digits below zero, Cold Weather Advisory in effect
Chicago temperatures plunged well below zero Friday morning, with some places feeling as cold as -40 degrees. While an Extreme Cold Warning has expired, a Cold Weather Advisory is in effect until Saturday morning.
A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect for Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Will, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, La Salle, Lee, Livingston, McHenry, Ogle and Winnebago counties in Illinois until 9 a.m. Saturday.
While not as cold as during the Extreme Cold Warning that expired at noon, the advisory is issued because wind chills could reach as low as -15 to -30 degrees Fahrenheit. At the same time, a massive winter storm developing to our south will bring snow into the area late Saturday into Sunday, with several inches of accumulation possible.
The Chicago area officially saw its coldest morning in seven years on Friday, with recorded wind chill temperatures as low as -37 degrees in McHenry.
While many schools closed or moved to remote learning, and workplaces followed suit, public transportation was also affected for those that did have to leave their homes. Metra is running an alternate schedule, reducing the number of trains across the system with the goal of limiting movement through switching points where extreme cold can cause mechanical issues.
Trains are also moving slower, with speeds reduced by about 10 miles per hour to limit wear and tear on rails, switches and wheels.
Metra said heaters on near switches are operating around the clock, along with extra mechanical crews staged near key locations so they can respond quickly if there are failures.
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.
"It is so cold," said one Friday morning commuter. "I'm wearing Heattech on three layers, Heattech everything, like compression socks, everything, and it's still too cold for more."
The Office of Emergency Management and Communications said the city is monitoring conditions around the clock, urging residents to stay indoors, to check on their neighbors and use city resources and stay safe.
OEMC said 311 can get nearly 10,000 calls on a day like this, and many are from people looking for warming centers or help for vulnerable neighbors.
In the western suburbs, the city of Aurora has also activated a temporary overnight warming center which will be open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. until Monday. It is located at the Financial Empowerment Center on South River Street. They will not only provide warm shelter, but hot meals to those who need it.
In Cook County, the sheriff's office said its SHARP program is also focusing on outreach to unhoused residents by connecting people with shelters and warming options during the cold snap.
Chicago officials want to remind everyone that if you see someone that needs help, you can call 311 to request a wellbeing check.
Chicago airports battle delays, cancelations, dangerous working conditions
While many had the option to work from home Friday, some jobs require workers to be outside in these dangerous temperatures. At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, workers had to battle the dangerous cold temperatures just to keep operations moving.
Grounds Transportation worker Daniel Macedo was working with no gloves on. He's been working at O'Hare for the past two years assisting customers and getting them into cabs fast.
"This morning, it was hard to get up to be honest. It was insanely hard to be outside. Thankfully we have handwarmers, you know. It's real cold. You can't even feel your fingers out here. I try to write something, everything's shaking. My hands are vibrating a lot," he said.
Exposure to the cold can cause frostbite in as little as 10 minutes, and there is an increased risk for hypothermia.
"I'll give it a 20 out of 10. It's not even cold. It's so cold you feel hot outside," Macedo said. "Your face starts to feel hot, everything feels hot. It's a bunch of, being numb."
To stay warm, he is wearing multiple layers.
"Minimum, three layers. I got one jacket, another one and two more under this. This is a powered one, electric one. I also have my wind breaker pants and two more under," he said. But it's not enough. "Not helpful at all. You can still feel all the cold outside. Doesn't help at all."
So every 15 minutes, he comes inside to warm up.
O'Hare has recorded more than 480 delays and 61 cancellations, not necessarily from the weather in Chicago, but because of the massive winter storm impacting hundreds of millions of people across the country.
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.
