Several schools in the Chicago area have announced delays, closures, or e-learning for Tuesday due to an ongoing cold weather advisory.
The National Weather Service warns that some areas may experience wind chills as low as -30 degrees on Tuesday morning, with sub-zero wind chills persisting throughout the day. The NBC 5 Storm Team predicts a high temperature of only 9 degrees for Tuesday.
Due to the extreme weather conditions, all schools within the Lake Station Community Schools (LSCS) in Northwest Indiana have been closed for Tuesday. It has been announced that there will be no e-learning on this day. However, a makeup day has been scheduled for April 21, 2025.
Several other schools in the area have also made announcements regarding their response to the current weather conditions. This includes District #103 Lyons, District #148 Dolton West, and District #86 Joliet Public Schools, which have either implemented e-learning or decided to delay the start of their classes.
According to its website, Chicago Public Schools decided to keep their doors open.
“Chicago Public Schools’ goal is to always have schools open,” a post on its website said. “We don’t want students to miss valuable learning time and meals they may depend on as part of the school day. Therefore, CPS will do everything possible to keep classes in session as long as it is safe for students and staff.”
You can find a comprehensive list of closures from the Emergency Closing Center here.
On Tuesday morning, Chicago experienced frigid temperatures of -4 degrees, accompanied by wind chills of -25 to -30 in certain areas to the west. Although the mercury will rise to a high of 9 degrees later in the day, the wind chill will persist below zero throughout the afternoon, as noted by NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman.
The National Weather Service (NWS) suggests minimizing outdoor activities and dressing warmly when venturing outside. They warn of potential risks such as frozen pipes, hypothermia, frostbite, and ice jams on local rivers.
Health experts have cautioned that dehydration can also occur due to the cold weather, which may catch people off guard.
“We usually associate dehydration with hot weather, but cold weather we are often able to get it too because you feel less thirsty and we tend to drink less fluids during that time,” Dr. Santina Wheat with Northwestern Medicine said. “Additionally, when it’s cold outside, we are inside with indoor heating hopefully. That dry air can also increase the water loss that we have through evaporation.”
To maintain proper hydration, Wheat advises drinking fluids consistently throughout the day. Additionally, she recommends placing a clean humidifier in close proximity to you. In case you don’t have a humidifier, she suggests placing a bowl of water near the heat source within your home.
Dry mouth and skin, dizziness, headaches, and nosebleeds may indicate dehydration in cold weather.
How long will the cold last?
This Article Includes
According to Roman, the bitter cold weather will persist until Thursday. Additionally, a cold weather advisory will be in effect from midnight Tuesday to 10 a.m. Wednesday for counties such as McHenry Boone, Winnebago, and DeKalb, located to the west.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the “feels-like” temperature during that period could range from -25 to -30 degrees.
According to Roman, there is a possibility of light snowfall expected on Wednesday, with temperatures gradually increasing into the teens. The warm-up is expected to continue, with a high of 21 degrees on Thursday.
Temperatures are expected to reach around 30 degrees by Friday, according to Roman. As the weekend approaches, the readings are anticipated to rise even further. By early next week, temperatures could reach up to 40 degrees.
Frozen pipes, warming centers and more
In order to prevent pipes from freezing during the cold weather, the Chicago Department of Water Management has advised residents to run a small amount of cold water on each floor of their home.
The department emphasized the importance of never using an open flame to thaw a frozen pipe. Instead, they recommend using a hairdryer as a safer alternative.
Warming centers
The Chicago Department of Emergency Management and Communications has announced that there will be over 200 facilities available for warming until Friday. These include various locations such as Chicago Public Libraries, Park Districts, city colleges, and police departments.
Here are the other community warming centers that are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.:
-
- Englewood Community Service Center – 1140 West 79th Street
- Garfield Community Service Center – 10 South Kedzie Avenue
- Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center – 4314 South Cottage Grove
- North Area Community Service Center – 845 West Wilson Avenue
- South Chicago Community Service Center – 8650 South Commercial Avenue
- Trina Davila Community Service Center – 4312 West North Avenue