Higher snow totals were recorded in the northern suburbs close to the Wisconsin border. As of 7:15 a.m., 7 inches of snow fell in Gurne, 6 inches of snow fell in Algonquin, and 5 inches of snow fell in Arlington Heights and Fox Lake. In the western suburbs, Romeoville received 4.9 inches of snow and Aurora received 5 inches of snow. In the city, O’Hare had received 3.1 inches of snow and Midway received 2.9 inches of snow. In the southern suburbs, Oak Lawn received 4 inches of snow and Homewood received 3 inches of snow.
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A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Chicago area, including Boone, Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall Lake, McHenry, Ogle and Will counties in Illinois and Lake and Porter counties in Indiana. The advisory will expire at 6 p.m. Monday.
The snow began falling Sunday night and moderate snow persisting until about 9 a.m. with light snow continuing in the afternoon. Winds are also creating blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibility.
The snow is making for a messy commute across the area Monday. The ABC7 Stormtracker checked out conditions on Lake Shore Drive, where the roadway was covered in snow, as was the outbound Eisenhower Expressway.
The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation is deploying 287 snow vehicles to clear the city’s streets, focusing on the city’s arterial streets and Lake Shore Drive before transitioning to side streets when the snow stops.
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According to CTA, during conditions like this, track switch heaters are turned on to keep them from freezing and to keep trains moving at a consistent pace.
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The city’s buses are equipped with engine pre-heaters so that they can be started up quickly and to keep commuters warm.
The Illinois Tollway is reminding drivers who need help that they can call star-9-9-9 motorist assistance.
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Stranded motorists should turn on their emergency lights and remain in their vehicles until help arrives.
When there is snow and extreme cold the Tollway recommends that you have your cell phone fully charged before heading out, be sure tires are properly inflated, keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up and keep a cold weather safety kit in your car with items such as a flare, a blanket and flashlight.
The snowstorm has created significant problems at Chicago’s airports. As of 9:17 a.m., O’Hare reports average delays of 49 minutes and 637 flight cancellations and Midway reports average delays of under 15 minutes and 198 flight cancellations.
Sunday, Chicago Public Schools said it was closely monitoring conditions, but that school would be in session Monday. Meanwhile, a number of schools across the area have cancelled. For a complete list, click here.
The snowstorm comes ahead of another week of brutal cold as the polar vortex continues to bear down on the area – bringing historically low temps mid-week.
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Wednesday’s expected high is sitting well below zero, and wind chills will make it feel like as much as 50 degrees below. It has the potential to be the second-coldest day in the history of Chicago.
The record for the coldest day in Chicago was December 24, 1983, with an average temperature of -18 degrees recorded at O’Hare. Wednesday could be as cold as -15.5 or -16, which could make it the second or third coldest day in Chicago’s recorded history.
COLDEST DAYS IN CHICAGO HISTORY:
1. Dec. 24, 1983: -18
2. Jan. 18, 1994: -16
3. Jan. 20, 1985: -15.5
4. Jan. 10, 1982: -15.0
5. Dec. 23, 1983: -13.5
6. Jan. 29, 1966: -13.0
7. Jan. 15, 1972: -13.0
8. Jan. 23, 1963: -12.5
9. February 3, 1996: -12.0
A Wind Chill Watch will go into effect at 6 p.m. Tuesday through noon on Thursday.
Dozens of warming shelters in the city and throughout Cook County have been opened as an additional safety precaution. Officials say everyone should limit their outdoor exposure over the next few days.
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