Chicago Public Schools
and more than 125 school districts in the area have decided to close Wednesday
as a cold front sliding off the Canadian Rockies threatens to drive wind chills
into dangerous territory for the next two days.
Chicago school buildings
will be open for any students who show up and administrative staff, building
engineers and custodians will be on hand.
"The safety and
well-being of our students comes first," CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said
in a statement. "The frigid temperatures and winds make a dangerous
combination, and it is in the best interest of our students to cancel
classes."
School officials are
faced with a forecast that calls for temperatures to drop into the single
digits below zero overnight Tuesday and wind chills as low as 40 below,
according to the National Weather Service. The high on Wednesday may not get
past zero, with gusting winds again driving wind chills to 30 below or worse.
Metra already was
experiencing delays Tuesday evening because of weather-related
switching problems.
Overnight lows on
Wednesday could reach 13 below zero, which would break the record low for Dec.
8 of minus-11 set in 1942, the weather service said. The agency warned people
to stay indoors if at all possible. Frostbite can afflict exposed skin in
15 minutes.
The weather service has
issued a wind chill warning from midnight Tuesday until noon Thursday.
The list of school
closings for Wednesday includes districts throughout the Chicago area, from
Summit and Willow Springs to Palos Heights and McHenry. You can check
the school closings list here.
Last January, a subzero
chill prompted officials to close Chicago schools for four days. At times that
month, the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and the Museum of Science and
Industry also shut down, citing concerns for safety in the cold.
Following is WGN-TV
meteorologist Tom Skilling's forecast for the next several days:
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, gusty northwest winds and brutally cold.
Lake-effect snow showers in the snowbelt areas of Indiana and Michigan. Highs
near zero with dangerous minus-20 to minus-35 degree wind chills.
Thursday: Potentially record-breaking cold at the start. Increasing
cloudiness, windy and frigid. Some flurries or light snow possible late,
especially in northern sections.
Friday: A third surge of frigid Arctic air arrives amid gusty
northwest winds producing wind chills of minus-10 to minus-20 degrees. Bitterly
cold at night with widespread subzero lows.
Saturday: Continued very cold under a mix of sun and clouds.
Southwest winds 12 to 18 mph produce wind chill readings of minus-10 to
minus-25 degrees.
Sunday: More cloudy than not, the intensity of the cold finally
begins to ease in the afternoon. Some flurries or light snow possible but only
minor accumulations expected at this time.
Monday: Extensive cloudiness, though some peeks of sun cannot be
ruled out. Much calmer than recent days with a more moderate brand of wintry
chill.
