Chicago's Bitter Cold New Year's Day Marks Coldest On Record

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago's bitter cold temperatures reached a New Year's Day record Monday, continuing a relentlessly dangerous stretch of cold air over the past week.

The city reached a high of 1 degree, marking a new record for the coldest high temperature on the first day of the year, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record was 5 degrees in 1969.

The average temperature of -4 degrees was also the coldest average for Jan. 1 in Chicago, lower than the -2.5 degree mark set in 1969, the Weather Service said. The low temperature Monday was -9 degrees.

An advisory remained in effect through the overnight hours until noon Tuesday as wind chills were expected to range from 15-below to 30-below across the Chicagoland area, the Weather Service said.

Meteorologists warned exposed skin could get frostbite in as little as 30 minutes, and hypothermia can occur without a hat and gloves.

A high of 14 degrees was expected for Tuesday.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2018. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)