CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The windchill in Chicago began to dip to dangerous levels Tuesday evening.
Temperatures at O’Hare International Airport fell below zero degrees before 6 p.m. Tuesday, and may not rise back above zero until Thursday evening, according to NWS.
Temperatures are expected to plunge further Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, dropping the windchill to “extremely dangerous” levels of 50 to 55 degrees below zero, the National Weather Service is forecasting.
It’s COLD, period.Temps are in the -20s area wide, and here are the wind chills which combine effects of cold & wind. These are extreme values for northern IL & northwest IN and will remain so today. Dress warm, limit exposure. #ILwx #INwxList: https://t.co/u61rlmiMio pic.twitter.com/E73t0dKMsN
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago)
January 30, 2019 On top of the cold, scattered snow showers fell throughout the day Tuesday, with less than an inch accumulating at O’Hare by 6 p.m. Snow flurries are expected to continue, stopping about 7 a.m. Wednesday, the weather service said. Blowing snow may cause hazardous travel conditions in more open areas outside the city.
Chicago is set to break its lowest recorded temperature of minus 27, which was set on Jan. 20, 1985. The record low temperature for the state, minus 36 degrees on Jan. 5, 1999, will likely be broken in areas west of Fox Valley, NWS said.
“It’s about as bad as it gets in this part of the world,” said NWS meteorologist Mark Ratzer.
The heart of the Arctic cold has arrived.The combined effects of the cold & winds are at their peak today with wind chills of -45° to -60° continuing. The afternoon highs today...yes the highs...will only be -11° to -17°. Please be smart & safe today. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/3WaRW6SyKR
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago)
January 30, 2019 The temperature will remain at “life-threatening” levels through Thursday morning, the weather service said. The freezing conditions could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
In what the weather service called “the grand finale of the historic Arctic blast” on Twitter Tuesday evening, lighter winds Wednesday night through Thursday morning will help keep temperatures at 30 degrees below zero or lower. The lowest windchill temperature Thursday may be lower than 50 degrees below zero, NWS said.
Another round of accumulating snow is expected Thursday night, possibly affecting the Friday morning commute as the cold cold temperatures will make road treatments less effective, NWS said.
The last day of this bitter cold, Thursday, will start with impressive cold. Lows early Thu morning will be in the -20s to -30s across the area. Winds will gradually be easing, so wind chills will not be as low as this morning, however still to dangerous levels. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/91NPAxEpyf
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago)
January 30, 2019 Chicago Public Schools canceled Wednesday and Thursday classes due to the dangerous weather.
At Chicago’s two major airports, there were 568 flights canceled due to the weather — 285 at O’Hare and 283 at Midway, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. On Monday, more than 1,300 had been canceled.
A list of suburban school closings can be found here.
Metra will modify the schedule of most of its lines Wednesday and Thursday due to the expected extreme cold weather.
Customers are advised to expect longer travel times, as trains will operate with restricted speed when temperatures reach zero degrees or lower, Metra said.
The modified schedules can be found online. They apply to all lines except the Heritage Corridor.
All Amtrak services to and from Chicago on Wednesday have been canceled. Only trains that began traveling on Tuesday or earlier will complete their trips to or from Chicago on Wednesday, according to Amtrak.
Most short-distance trains and some long-distance trains will also be canceled Thursday, Amtrak said.
Chicagoans should stay indoors and check on their neighbors for the next two days, city officials said Tuesday.
The city will open 142 public buildings and facilities in the next two days as warming centers.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire & Chicago Sun-Times 2019. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
