Living in an Icebox
Chicago is locked in a deep freeze today, easily the coldest day we’ve seen in years.
As of around noon, the official temperature in the city was about -2°F (-19°C). With the wind, it feels much colder, with wind chills ranging from roughly -20°F down to nearly -40°F (-29°C to -40°C) depending on location. This is dangerous cold. At these temperatures, exposed skin can develop frostbite in minutes, and even very short trips outside require full winter protection.
Chicago Public Schools closed today, canceling all classes and activities because it’s simply not safe for students to be outside in these conditions. Regional trains are running on reduced / weekend-style schedules, with slower service and possible delays due to cold-related equipment challenges caused by the extreme cold, including frozen switches, icy tracks, and mechanical issues with locomotives and passenger car doors.
As harsh as today feels in Chicago, it’s important to keep some perspective. People south and east of us are dealing with much worse conditions. A massive winter storm system is impacting huge portions of the country, bringing heavy snow, freezing rain, ice storms, and dangerously low temperatures all at once. Many of these regions are far less prepared for winter extremes, communities often lack snow plows, salt, or the equipment needed to manage storms of this scale. For residents, this means power outages, impassable roads, and real risks to homes and infrastructure, with travel and basic survival becoming far more difficult than anything we’re experiencing here in the Windy City. Besides, we are used to this kind of weather.
https://apnews.com/article/winter-storm-snow-ice-texas-oklahoma-e970ee13ffaaf870f51dfa1540607604
NoFA / NoAI / No Photoshop
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Chicago is locked in a deep freeze today, easily the coldest day we’ve seen in years.
As of around noon, the official temperature in the city was about -2°F (-19°C). With the wind, it feels much colder, with wind chills ranging from roughly -20°F down to nearly -40°F (-29°C to -40°C) depending on location. This is dangerous cold. At these temperatures, exposed skin can develop frostbite in minutes, and even very short trips outside require full winter protection.
As harsh as today feels in Chicago, it’s important to keep some perspective. People south and east of us are dealing with much worse conditions. A massive winter storm system is impacting huge portions of the country, bringing heavy snow, freezing rain, ice storms, and dangerously low temperatures all at once. Many of these regions are far less prepared for winter extremes, communities often lack snow plows, salt, or the equipment needed to manage storms of this scale. For residents, this means power outages, impassable roads, and real risks to homes and infrastructure, with travel and basic survival becoming far more difficult than anything we’re experiencing here in the Windy City. Besides, we are used to this kind of weather.
https://apnews.com/article/winter-storm-snow-ice-texas-oklahoma-e970ee13ffaaf870f51dfa1540607604
NoFA / NoAI / No Photoshop
.
