Chicago plunged into a deep freeze Tuesday as the combination of the coldest air of the season and wind chills plummeting well below zero gripped the area.
Temperatures Tuesday dropped to 9 degrees below zero, but an arctic air mass combined with gusts up to 15 mph created wind chills as low 29 below zero, according to the National Weather Service.
The bitterly cold conditions the past two days were possibly linked to at least one death.
A Palos Heights woman died of possible cold exposure Monday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Mary Jane Alano, 88, of the first block of Moorings Drive, died about 12:40 p.m. Her primary cause of death was hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease but the coroner’s office listed “probable cold exposure,” as a secondary cause.
To avoid spending extra time outside, Grace Brase of Lake View East splurged on a quicker form of travel on Tuesday.
Instead of taking her typical 15-minute bus ride to her job as a hostess and server at Little Wok in Lake View, Brase decided to hail a ride on Uber, stopping off at Starbucks a block away to satisfy her coffee fix.
“But I Ubered because it’s freezing, and it was worth it,” said the 26-year-old as she trotted down Broadway Street. “I got extra bundled up because our insulation isn’t great, and I’m going to be right by the door today. I feel bad for the people who have to go anywhere and can’t work remotely.”
Dangerously cold conditions prompted weather officials to issue a cold weather advisory Tuesday morning that will remain in effect until 12 a.m. Wednesday.
Residents were asked to remain indoors as much as possible and to cover all exposed skin when going outside.
Wind chills were forecast to be near 15 to 20 below zero Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, weather officials said.
Tuesday is the coldest day so far this winter, but it was far from a record. The coldest temperature on the books for Jan. 21 was 22 degrees below zero in 1984.
Some relief from the biting cold is on the way; temperatures Wednesday were forecast to be in the high teens to low 20s. But there was also a possibility of up to an inch of snow to accumulate Wednesday evening. And although the amounts are light, the cold ground temperatures could lead to slippery travel, weather officials said.
Chicago warming centers
The city will open warming centers from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Other facilities, such as libraries, also serve as warming centers and sometimes have different or longer hours. The following centers will be open beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday:
- Garfield Community Service Center
10 S. Kedzie Ave.
(312) 746-5400 - Englewood Community Service Center
1140 W. 79th St
(312) 747-0200 - Martin Luther King Community Service Center
4314 S. Cottage Grove
(312) 747-2300 - North Area Community Service Center
845 W. Wilson Ave.
(312) 744-2580 - South Chicago Community Service Center
8650 S. Commercial Ave.
(312) 747-0500 - Trina Davila Community Service Center
4312 W. North Ave.
(312) 744-2014
Cook County will keep three courthouse warming centers open continuously until Wednesday afternoon:
- Skokie Courthouse: 5600 Old Orchard Road, Skokie
- Maywood Courthouse: 1500 Maybrook Drive, Maywood
- Markham Courthouse: 16501 S. Kedzie Ave., Markham
The Salvation Army’s Freedom Center in Humboldt Park, 825 N. Christiana Ave., will also be open 24 hours as a warming shelter throughout the week. The organization also runs the 24-hour Shuttle of Hope, which works with the city’s 311 call center to transport people to shelters.
Tips to stay warm
Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications has also provided several tips for people to stay warm:
- Motorists should take extra precautions to winterize vehicles and have necessary supplies while on the go. Keep in mind, disabled vehicles or distracted driving can cause accidents, impact traffic and impede responders heading to emergencies.
- Residents should know the signs and care of frostbite and hypothermia. For winter preparation information visit, Chicago.gov/OEMC for details and links to other local, state and federal resources.
- Wear several layers of loose, warm clothes.
- Keep head, hands and feet covered when outdoors.
- Stay dry because moisture can reduce the insulation effectiveness of clothing.
- Pay extra attention to daily needs: get enough sleep, eat high-energy foods, drink warm beverages to keep the body warm and avoid alcoholic beverages.
- Keep pets indoors as much as possible during bitter, numbing cold.
Contributing: Mariah Rush