As wind chills plunge to dangerous lows of -27 degrees in Chicago Tuesday, 2 men take their own plunge in Lake Michigan
Dangerously cold conditions are expected to continue throughout the Chicago area Tuesday, with the wind chill potentially reaching as low as -27 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather service predicts that the bitterly cold temperatures will continue through Wednesday morning. A wind chill warning in portions of central, north central and northeast Illinois remains in effect until 9 a.m. Wednesday. The lowest wind chills are at night and during the morning.
But the dangerous temperatures didn’t deter two Chicago men from their habit of jumping into Lake Michigan.
Dan O’Coner wouldn’t let subzero temperatures end his more than 1,200-day jump streak. He started the daily ritual during the COVID-19 pandemic as a stress reliever and he has no plans to stop anytime soon.
“I found a lot of positivity, and it’s an endorphin rush,” the 56-year-old said. “In the cold, you really get this rush. It’s a shocking act, and your body realizes that ‘Hey, I gotta protect this vessel I’m in.’”
As the sun rose over the city’s skyline Tuesday morning, O’Coner and his friend Glenn Rischke scouted out the best spot to jump in the water at Montrose Harbor. It’s important not to hit ice, they said, to prevent painful cuts.
The men stripped down to swim trunks, discarding their bulky winter jackets — O’Coner’s adorned with his nickname the “Great Lake jumper” in rainbow colors. O’Coner went first, getting a running start before flipping into the water and Rischke followed.
They floated in the water for about a minute — joking that it feels like they’re in Iceland — before climbing out and speed walking to the warmth of their car.
“I started for my mental health,” Rischke said. “I don’t know how to describe it, but everything seems a little less heavy.”
Rafal Ogorek, a meteorologist with the NWS in Romeoville, said Tuesday probably won’t be quite as frigid as the past two days, but still very cold. Tuesday’s forecast is mostly sunny with a high temperature near 4 degrees in Chicago. Wind speeds of 10 to 15 mph are expected, with gusts up to 25 mph.
“Temperatures this morning are still below zero, but this afternoon they should get above zero in the metro,” Ogorek said. “We’re looking at another night of temperatures being around zero with below zero wind chills tonight, but tomorrow we’re expecting slightly milder temperatures.”
Ogorek said Wednesday’s high temperatures are expected to hover around the upper teens to low twenties, with the wind child reaching above zero for the first time in days. The freezing air mass is the coldest Chicago has seen in five years, with the last comparable cold snap in January 2019.
Cold wind chill can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes, the weather service said. They recommend avoiding outdoor activities if possible, and wearing appropriate clothing if venturing outside.
Due to the freezing temperatures and wind chills, Chicago Public Schools canceled classes and after-school activities Tuesday. Schools are expected to reopen Wednesday. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also announced that the enforcement of his 60-day migrant shelter limit policy would be delayed until at least Jan. 22.
Red Line trains are running with delays due to earlier mechanical problems on a train, as of about 9 a.m. While the Chicago Transit Authority recommends allowing extra travel time, they said trains are moving and normal service is being restored.
At O’Hare International Airport, 142 flights were canceled and 210 were delayed Tuesday morning, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. Another 78 flights were canceled at Midway Airport and 51 were delayed.
The city’s six community centers are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week as warming centers. The Garfield Community Service Center at 10 South Kedzie is open 24/7 to connect residents to emergency shelters.
Cold temperatures aren’t the only weather condition Chicagoans might face this week. There’s about a 20 to 40% chance of snow in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana starting Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning. Travel could be impacted, Ogorek said, including the Wednesday evening commute.
More widespread snow is likely Thursday night into Friday morning. The bitterly cold temperatures are also expected to return Friday into the start of the weekend, the weather service said.
Cold temperatures also lead to ice formation on rivers, leading to ice jams and possible flooding, the NWS warned. Ice jams can cause water level fluctuations and significant water rises with little to no warning. The weather service said one ice jam has already developed on the Kankakee River near Wilmington.
Conditions at Midway Airport at 9 a.m. are -3 degrees with a few clouds.
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