The Chicago area will see bitterly cold weather this week with single-digit temperatures and subzero wind chills, according to the National Weather Service.
Monday and Tuesday may see high temperatures in the low teens, with a potential for a low between zero and minus 10 Monday night. Wind chills between minus 10 and minus 25 degrees are expected Monday through Wednesday, with Thursday seeing wind chills between minus 5 and minus 15, the weather service said on X.
Monday evening to Tuesday morning will see the coldest conditions, with wind chills of minus 25 to minus 30 expected across interior portions of northern Illinois, the weather service wrote. Other parts of the state will see wind chills between minus 15 and minus 25 during that period.
Snowfall was expected to taper off Sunday evening. While not much snow is expected for the rest of the week, there is a 20% to 30% chance of snowfall Tuesday and Wednesday, with Tuesday’s snow expected primarily south of Interstate 80.
The week’s frigid conditions mean heightened risks for hypothermia and frostbite in 30 minutes or less. The weather service is urging people to limit their time outside, keep pets indoors and cover up exposed skin when going out.
Chicago also has warming centers open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., though some locations will be closed on Monday for Presidents Day.
These six warming centers will be open: Garfield Community Service Center, Englewood Community Service Center, Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center, North Area Community Service Center, South Chicago Community Service Center and Trina Davila Community Service Center.
The Garfield location was open Sunday for residents to use and will remain open on Monday. The Salvation Army Freedom Center will be open as a warming center through Tuesday. Residents can also go to various Chicago police district offices on Monday for relief from the cold.