Wind Chills Could Dip To 15 Below Zero By Tuesday

CHICAGO (STMW) -- Bears fans could face subzero wind chills Monday night, the kickoff to a week of bitterly cold temperatures, the Sun-Times is reporting.

Temperatures could be as low as 3 degrees when the Bears and Dallas Cowboys meet at 7 p.m., the National Weather Service said.

By Tuesday morning, the wind chill could drop to as low as 15 below zero in some areas, meteorologists said. The frigid weather will come on the heels of a weekend of unseasonably cold weather throughout the Chicago area.

High temperatures Sunday will likely only reach the mid-20s, nearly 10 degrees below average for mid-December, according to the National Weather Service.

Meanwhile, lows Sunday will hover near 20 degrees, with between 1 and 3 inches of snowfall throughout the day.

As of 3 p.m., the region's highest reported snowfall was 1.8 inches in Huntley, according to the National Weather Service. Snowfall at Midway International Airport was slightly over a quarter of an inch, while there was about half an inch on elevated surfaces downtown, the weather service said.

The Illinois Tollway had its full fleet of 182 snowplows ready to mobilize in anticipation of the storm, according to a statement issued Sunday. The Tollway also cancelled all daytime and overnight lane closures to facilitate snow removal efforts.

Meteorologists don't expect temperatures to rise above freezing before Thursday.

The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications issued a statement Sunday urging residents to prepare for the cold weather by making sure that their pipes are properly insulated to prevent freezing.

Residents without heat in their homes can seek shelter in any of six Community Service Centers across the city operated by the Department of Family and Support Services, OEMC said.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)