The Chicago area experienced a major cold snap, forcing numerous school closures and flight cancellations. Wind chills plunged to dangerous levels, prompting warnings from the National Weather Service.
Over 100 schools, daycares, and colleges across the Chicago area were closed on Tuesday due to dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills. The closures affected institutions ranging from elementary to high schools in various suburbs, including Palos Hills, Oak Lawn, Lyons, Calumet City, Crystal Lake, Elgin, Carpentersville, Antioch, and Grayslake. A complete list of closures is available online.
The extreme cold also prompted Amtrak to cancel several train lines in and out of Chicago, including The Wolverine, The Borealis, and the Hiawatha. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport experienced over 40 cancellations due to the weather. As of 5:20 a.m., temperatures in Northeastern Illinois dipped below zero, with readings ranging from -5 to -10 degrees. Wind chills, however, were even more frigid, reaching -29 in DeKalb, -27 in DuPage and Morris, -24 in Waukegan, and -20 in Kankakee. Meteorologist Alicia Roman urged viewers to 'bundle up from head to toe,' warning that 'the Arctic cold will peak this morning... We are in the heart of the brutal cold right now.'An arctic air mass combined with strong winds resulted in dangerous wind chills as low as -20F to -35F this morning. Cold conditions persisted into Wednesday morning, with wind chills expected to be around -10F to -20F. The National Weather Service issued an extreme cold warning until 12 p.m. for several counties in Illinois and Wisconsin, including Lake, McHenry, DeKalb, Kane, LaSalle, and Kenosha. In these areas, wind chills as low as 30 degrees below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin within 10 minutes. A cold weather advisory was in effect until 2 p.m. for other counties in Illinois and Northwest Indiana, warning of wind chills between -20°F to -35°F. The NWS emphasized the importance of covering all exposed skin to prevent frostbite, as it can occur within 20-30 minutes in such conditions.Tuesday's high temperature was expected to reach the single digits for most areas, with wind chills easing slightly to between -10 and -20. Some relief was anticipated on Wednesday, with highs in the 20s. Roman noted that a high of 25 degrees would feel significantly warmer than the -25 being experienced that morning. Wednesday might also see scattered snow showers throughout the day, although accumulations are not projected to exceed an inch.
CHICAGO WEATHER COLD SNAP SCHOOL CLOSURES FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS WIND CHILLS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ARCTIC AIR MASS
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