Chicago Public Schools is one of dozens of area districts that is canceling classes Friday as a frigid weather system brings “dangerously cold” temperatures that meteorologists warn could cause frostbite on exposed skin within minutes.
The National Weather Service issued an extreme cold warning for Chicago, along with the rest of central Cook County, including the suburbs of Oak Park, Cicero and Oak Lawn. It begins at 3 a.m. Friday and expires at noon.
CPS informed families late Thursday morning that schools will be closed Friday, citing “dangerously frigid temperatures” that will make it unsafe for students and staff to travel to school. There will be no remote learning. Classes and extracurricular activities are expected to resume Monday. It’s rare for the district to cancel classes.
As of midday at least 80 suburban districts and schools had also announced closures for Friday or plans to shift to online learning, including District 118 in Palos Park, District 111 in Burbank, District 122 in Oak Lawn, District 135 in Orland Park and districts 113 and 112 in Highland Park.
Families can visit emergencyclosingcenter.com to check whether their district has canceled classes.
The last time CPS canceled classes for bitterly cold weather was on Jan. 16, 2024, when wind chills reached 30 below zero.
Temperatures are expected to plummet starting Thursday night to a low of 9 degrees below zero with wind gusts as high as 30 mph, causing wind chills as low as 40 below, according to the National Weather Service. The cold will persist through Friday morning, with highs only reaching zero degrees during the day.
“The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 30 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes,” the weather service said in a message on X. “Limit time outdoors, bring pets inside, and check on others.”
This is a developing story