How to Check if Your School or Office is Closed
Extreme Cold Warning and School Closures
As an extreme cold warning with wind chills of -30 degrees descends across the Chicago area, more than 100 schools, colleges, daycares, and even some businesses and local governments have announced closures on Tuesday due to the dangerous cold.
The school closures range from the city to the suburbs, including elementary, middle, and high schools in Palos Hills, Oak Lawn, Lyons, Calumet City, Crystal Lake, Elgin, Carpentersville, Antioch, and Grayslake. According to the Chicago Public Schools 2024-25 calendar, CPS students had an already scheduled day off on Tuesday for “Teacher Institute Day.”
Multiple private schools, religious schools, and daycares were also closed, the Emergency Closing Center reported, along with some business services in Joliet and Aurora. The latest list of closures can be found here (NOTE: If you are accessing this link from our app, please go to your mobile browser).
Cancellation of Trains and Flights
The cold also forced Amtrak to cancel some train lines in and out of Chicago, including The Wolverine, The Borealis, and the Hiawatha, and led to more than 40 cancellations at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. NBC 5 reporter Lisa Chavarria reported that inside the airport, it didn’t feel much warmer, with employees having their coats, hats, and gloves on due to the -7-degree temperature.
Current Weather Conditions
As of 5:20 a.m., temperatures across Northeastern Illinois were below zero, with readings ranging from -5 to -10 degrees. Wind chills were even colder, with “feels-like” temperatures of -29 in DeKalb, -27 in DuPage, -24 in Waukegan, and -20 in Kankakee. NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman advised, “Bundle up from head to toe. The Arctic cold will peak this morning. We are in the heart of the brutal cold right now.”
National Weather Service Warning
The National Weather Service issued an extreme cold warning for Lake, McHenry, DeKalb, Kane, and LaSalle counties in Illinois, and Kenosha County in Wisconsin, with wind chills around 30 degrees below zero “could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.” A cold weather advisory was also in effect until 2 p.m. for DuPage, Cook, Kendall, Grundy, Will, and Kankakee counties in Illinois and parts of Northwest Indiana.
Forecast
Tuesday’s high temperature in the afternoon will be in the single digits for most areas, with wind chills easing up slightly, between -10 and -20. Roman said, “A high of 25 will feel a lot warmer than the -25 we are feeling right now.” Wednesday could see chances for scattered snow showers “at any point of the day,” with totals not expected to be more than an inch. By the weekend, temperatures will be above-average, climbing into the 30s.
Conclusion
As the extreme cold warning is in effect, it is crucial to take necessary precautions to stay safe. Keep an eye on local news and weather reports for the latest updates on school and office closures. If you must go out, cover all exposed skin to avoid frostbite, and stay indoors as much as possible. Stay warm and stay safe!
FAQs
* How can I check if my school or office is closed?
– You can check the latest list of closures on the Emergency Closing Center website.
* What are the current weather conditions?
– As of 5:20 a.m., temperatures were below zero, with wind chills ranging from -5 to -10 degrees.
* What is the forecast for today?
– Tuesday’s high temperature will be in the single digits for most areas, with wind chills easing up slightly, between -10 and -20.
* What is the forecast for Wednesday?
– Wednesday could see chances for scattered snow showers “at any point of the day,” with totals not expected to be more than an inch. Temperatures will be above-average, climbing into the 30s by the weekend.
