Chicago weather: Latest updates on the extreme cold, travel delays, closures and more

Deanese Williams-Harris, Adriana Pérez, Sarah Freishtat, Kori Rumore, Jordan Anderson, Chicago Tribune
Updated ·11 min read

As brutally cold temperatures settled over Chicagoland Friday, most residents have hunkered down in the safety of their homes or workspaces. But for the unhoused, they have little choice but to face the weather head on.

Volunteers from Feeding People Through Plants handed out blankets, hand warmers, hot food and other necessities Friday, as most of the people living in winterized tents decided to stay in their shelters instead of abandoning them for warming centers. They were concerned about leaving their belongings behind or many can’t access transportation to get to shelters, they told the Tribune.

Volunteers found one man shaking, only wearing light clothes, including a t-shirt, and a small blanket. They restocked him with warm clothes and two heaters.

“I went out yesterday from 9 am to 4 pm giving everybody propane. Everybody should be okay. But they’re living in a tent and it’s negative 30 degree wind chills,” Morgan McLuckie, a volunteer, said.

At Roosevelt Road and Des Plaines Street, strong wind swept an encampment along the road. One cat sought shelter inside an abandoned one.

Conditions were slightly milder at another encampment at an underpass on Clinton and Lake. One tent with an mattress was covered in burn marks. It caught fire after from candle lit inside, said Andy Robledo, founder of the nonprofit. A man living inside the tent is in a wheelchair.

”These are the hazardous conditions that the city create by not getting people housed, creating a situation that’s hazardous for people experiencing street homelessness because they have to subject themselves to these cold temperatures, but also they’re resorting to whatever they have to do to stay warm,” Robledo said.

Conditions were not expected to improve anytime soon.

National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Doom said that flurries are possible Friday, as well as a light snow shower in the evening, he said. He warned that winds between 35 to 45 mph will blow the snow that’s on the ground, creating visibility issues. Later in the afternoon, winds could reach up to 50 mph.

“We’re already seeing a lot of pictures, a lot of videos from people on social media,” Doom said, “(with) very rough road conditions, despite not actually seeing any falling snow, so we don’t want people to be fooled by the fact that there’s really not going to be much falling snow today.”

Wind chills Friday morning reached 35 to 40 degrees below zero.

“Even during the warmest part of the day, 25 to 35 below wind chills are what we’re looking at and the actual temperature is actually expected to stay below zero,” Doom said.

It’ll get warmer Saturday and Sunday, but not noticeably so, as wind chills will likely reach below zero during the holiday weekend.

However, if temperatures reach 50 degrees late next week as expected, it could feel up to 90 degrees warmer than it did Friday morning.

Despite the frigid temperatures and blowing snow, some people throughout the south and southwest suburbs still braved the weather to run errands and gather with friends ahead of the Christmas holiday.

At about 11:15 a.m. Friday, the parking lot at Egg Headz Cafe in Tinley Park was packed despite the negative temperatures outside. Manager Peter Mastorakos said there was a steady flow of customers since the restaurant opened at 6:30 a.m.

“People still go out. It’s going to stop a lot of people, but there’s people who have to go to work or go out. They don’t change their routine,” Mastorakos said.

Travel

Flight cancellations continued Friday morning at Chicago’s airports. As of 2:15 p.m., 475 canceled flights were reported at O’Hare International Airport, and 311 at Midway, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

Meanwhile, the Illinois State Police warned bridges and ramps were slick Friday morning, and asked motorists to slow down and leave plenty of space between vehicles.

A multicar crash on Interstate 294 involving two semitrailers shut down the southbound lanes at milepost 10. But all lanes recently reopened.

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed more than 200 snow vehicles Friday morning to begin clearing residential streets. Salt spreaders had been working since the storm began Thursday morning to ensure the roads were safe for emergency vehicles, public buses and motorists, according to a news release.

Chicago residents can view the city’s snow fleet in real time at chicagoshovels.org.

The extreme cold and slick road conditions were expected to remain a factor Friday, and officials urged residents to take precautions while traveling.

The Chicago Transit Authority buses returned to DuSable Lake Shore Drive around midday, the agency said. It had rerouted buses off the drive Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.

The Blue, Brown and Orange lines were running with delays, after track switching problems caused problems during morning rush hour. Shuttle buses continued to replace Orange Line service between Pulaski and Midway.

Metra trains were also delayed on several lines throughout the day Friday because of problems with switches, mechanical failures and, on the Metra Electric line, problems with wires. Wires and rails can contract in extreme cold and cause damage, Metra said on its website, and ice and winds can also cause problems for trains.

The South Shore commuter line to Northern Indiana suspended much of its service Friday afternoon because of mechanical issues, problems with the overhead wires and the weather. All westbound service was suspended Friday afternoon. The last train that would arrive in Chicago was Train 18, originally scheduled to arrive at 2:14 p.m.

Eastbound trains 111, scheduled to depart Millennium Station at 4:02 p.m., and 119, scheduled to leave at 5:58 p.m., were the only remaining trains that would run Friday, the service said. One train already enroute at 3 p.m. was halted, and passengers were to be bused instead.

Indiana State Police asked everyone to delay nonessential travel in Northwest Indiana.

Police Friday afternoon discouraged motorist from traveling on I-94 east toward Michigan.  Troopers were on the scene of a rollover tanker at mile marker 24.2, the Burns Harbor exit.

The accident was a hazardous material situation requiring an offload of the contents prior to the vehicle being moved, state police said. There was no timetable provided for how long removal would take, said police.

Also. I-94 was closed in Michigan at exit 4, due to numerous crashes due to the weather. Police said they were concerned as traffic continued to back up that motorists would become stranded in arctic temperatures.

Troopers were working on scenes of active crashes on I-65 and I-94, and observed vehicles failing to slow down, causing spinouts and crashes. A trooper was struck in Lowell, Ind., and Indianapolis had three stuck while investigating traffic crashes.

Frostbite dangers

Health officials advised that people who must go outside should wear a hat, face mask and gloves, as well as three layers covering the upper body and two layers below the waist.

Emily Young, marketing and communications manager for the Lake County Health Department, said in an email frostbite and hypothermia are serious potential dangers arising from too much exposure to cold.

Young said numbness, white or grayish skin around a person’s face, fingers and toes are signs of frostbite, as well as waxy skin. Body heat is one good way warm the affected areas. A heating pad is discouraged. Carr said exposure to extreme cold for 10 or 20 minutes can cause frostbite.

Dr. Ninad Dixit, chief medical officer for Vista Health System in Waukegan, said frostbite and hypothermia can happen very quickly if skin is exposed in extreme cold like the temperatures forecast the next few days.

“If you are out in the cold, self-care could include a warm soak and anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen in recommended dose,” Dixit said in the email. “Don’t use direct heat on the skin. Seek immediate medical attention if there is no improvement.”

Shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech or drowsiness are all symptoms of hypothermia. Young said the treatment is different from that for frostbite.

“Go to a warm room,” Young said. “Warm the center of the body first — chest, neck, head and groin. Keep dry and wrapped up in warm blankets, including the head and neck.”

Warming centers

The Chicago Park District will open field house locations as warming centers during regular operating hours Thursday and Friday. Holiday hours will begin Saturday and can be found online.

The Salvation Army Freedom Center, 825 N. Christiana Ave., and Mayfair Community Center, 5020 N. Pulaski Road, will operate as warming centers Friday and Saturday for residents needing a safe place to shelter during the storm, the Salvation Army said in a news release.

While Cook County courthouses will be closed for most legal business, three courthouse buildings are being opened as warming centers. Those who lack adequate heat can take shelter there starting 5 p.m. Thursday through 8 a.m. Monday. The available locations are:

  • Skokie Courthouse: 5600 Old Orchard Road

  • Maywood Courthouse: 1500 Maybrook Drive

  • Markham Courthouse: 16501 S. Kedzie Ave.

Chicago is also operating warming centers throughout the city. Residents can dial 311 for the location of their nearest warming center.

Home protection

Friday afternoon plumbers were flooded with calls from customers dealing with frozen pipes.

Jordan Blanton from J. Blanton Plumbers warned homeowners to get ahead of the problem, and call immediately before pipes unthaw leading to further damage if water pours into your property.

Thursday night, Blanton was on a service call till 4 a.m. Friday morning because of the extreme temperatures, he said.

”This time is the busiest time of year for us, it’s really important to get out in front of this,” he said. “The phone starts ringing off the hook. By this time tomorrow we would have received 500 calls.”

Blanton said all plumbers take an oath to protect the health of the nation.

”We take our job very seriously, and while it may be very lucrative, its very painful to see so many dealing with frozen pipes,” he said.

Blanton said customers should leave a trickle of water coming from faucets to prevent frozen pipes and added that hot water lines are the first to freeze.

Steps to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting during the cold-weather months:

- Keep interior doors open (this allows the heat to circulate throughout your home more efficiently).

- If you have ceiling fans, flip the switch in reverse to draw the air down and warm the room.

- Keep garage doors shut, especially if there are water lines in the garage (which tends be colder than other areas of the house).

- Close outdoor vents, such as in attics or crawlspaces, to prevent cold exterior air from penetrating your home.

- Disconnect all outside water hoses and let cold water trickle out of faucets in unheated areas or where pipes run on an exterior wall, as this can help relieve any pressure building from ice inside a pipe.

Schools

Friday was already a scheduled nonattendance day for CPS students.

On Thursday, several Chicago area school districts announced closures in preparation for extreme weather.

Closures

Some of Chicago’s popular holiday traditions will be closing early due to the expected blizzard-like conditions and extreme cold:

  • Adler Planetarium: Closed Friday through Sunday.

  • American Blues Theater: Ended its run of “It’s A Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!” Shows for today and Friday are canceled.

  • Chicago Botanic Garden: Closed Friday through Sunday. Lightscape is canceled today and Friday. Ticket holders will be contacted by email with more information.

  • Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier: Closed Friday and Saturday.

  • Chicago History Museum: Closed Friday through Sunday.

  • Chicago Transit Authority’s Holiday Bus: Last two runs on #29 State and #J14 Jeffrey Jump — scheduled for Friday — are canceled.

  • Christkindlmarket: The Daley Plaza and Aurora locations closed and will not reopen again this season. The Wrigleyville location is closed today through Sunday, but reopens at 11 a.m., Dec. 26.

  • Courthouses: Most Cook County courthouse activities will cease on Friday, with the exception of adult bail hearings at the Leighton Criminal Court Building and juvenile detention hearings. The circuit court clerk’s office will also be closed. The Lake County courthouse in Waukegan closed at noon Thursday and was to remain inactive Friday other than remote bond court at 9 a.m. However, the Skokie, Markham and Maywood courthouses are open through Monday morning as warming centers.

  • Field Museum: Remains closed Friday. Shortened hours Saturday. Closed Sunday.

  • Lakefront Trail: The Park District’s Lakefront Trail has been closed from Oak Street to Ohio Street, and access from the Chicago Avenue underpass will not be available until further notice. Other areas hit by high waves could also be cordoned off by the Park District in the coming days.

  • Lincoln Park Zoo: Closed Friday and ZooLights canceled until Saturday.

  • McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park: Closed Friday and Saturday.

  • Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating Ribbon: Closed Friday.

  • Shedd Aquarium: Closed at 2 p.m. today. Closed Friday and Saturday.

  • Winterland at Gallagher Way: Closed today through Sunday. Reopens Dec. 26.