Deep Freeze Continues; So Do Icy Road Conditions, Travel Delays
/ CBS Chicago
Updated 01/07/14 - 1:17 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A more than 36-hour stretch of subzero temperatures came to an end early Tuesday afternoon, but the frigid conditions and heavy snow still on the ground from last week continued to create problems for drivers, commuters, and air travelers.
Temperatures first dipped below zero sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight Sunday night, and fell as low as 16 below zero on Monday -- a record for Jan. 6 -- and did not return to zero until shortly before 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
A wind chill warning that had been in effect for Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties in Illinois; and Lake, Porter, Jasper and Newton counties in Indiana ended at noon Tuesday. A wind chill warning remained in effect until 6 p.m. Chicago time for LaPorte, Pulaski and Starke counties in Indiana.
Among travelers stranded by the cold, snow, and ice were nearly 500 Amtrak passengers who were stuck on trains overnight in downstate Illinois, while on their way to Chicago.
Two trains – one coming from California, the other from downstate Quincy – were stopped about 75 miles west of Aurora Monday afternoon. After being forced to wait on the train up to 14 hours, the 300 passengers from those trains boarded buses in Princeton for the final leg of their trip, said Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari. They were expected to arrive midmorning.
A third train, also from California, was stopped in Galesburg around 7 p.m., and those 217 passengers were expected to take buses or another form of transport for the final 150 miles to Chicago.
The extreme cold also created plenty of headaches for Metra and the CTA, causing switches and tracks to freeze in the Chicago area.
A day after dozens of Metra trains were delayed by the cold – in some cases, up to 2 ½ hours – the commuter rail service has canceled 26 trains on Tuesday, and modified the schedules for several others due to the extreme cold.
Switching problems also led to delays on many CTA train lines on Monday, with riders having to wait 10 to 15 minutes longer than normal for trains to arrive.
Delays likely were to continue on some CTA train lines on Tuesday, with more subzero temperatures through the evening.
Though no fresh snow has fallen since Sunday, subzero temperatures have rendered road salt ineffective, and even some de-icing chemicals haven't done enough to clear streets of packed snow and ice.
Some roads might look clear, but there is plenty of black ice – hidden slick spots – leading to spin-outs and crashes on area roads.
Especially on overpasses and bridges, patches of ice can form on what otherwise appear to be dry and safe roads, leading to spinout crashes if drivers are not especially careful.
Mist rises from Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach as temperatures dipped well below zero on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago hit a record low of -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning as a polar air mass brought the coldest temperatures in about two decades into the city. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Ice builds up along Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach as temperatures dipped well below zero on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago hit a record low of -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning as a polar air mass brought the coldest temperatures in about two decades into the city. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Ice builds up along Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach as temperatures dipped well below zero on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago hit a record low of -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning as a polar air mass brought the coldest temperatures in about two decades into the city. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Ice builds up along Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach as temperatures dipped well below zero on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago hit a record low of -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning as a polar air mass brought the coldest temperatures in about two decades into the city. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Ice builds up along Lake Michigan as temperatures dipped well below zero on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago hit a record low of -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning as a polar air mass brought the coldest temperatures in about two decades into the city. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Ice builds up along Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach as temperatures dipped well below zero on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago hit a record low of -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning as a polar air mass brought the coldest temperatures in about two decades into the city. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Mist rises from Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach as temperatures dipped well below zero on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago hit a record low of -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning as a polar air mass brought the coldest temperatures in about two decades into the city. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Ice builds up along Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach as temperatures dipped well below zero on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago hit a record low of -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning as a polar air mass brought the coldest temperatures in about two decades into the city. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Fire officials are asking for help in digging out hydrants. (City of Palatine)Humboldt Park Brian Eaton tries free his car which had froze to the curb. (Credit: CBS)A maintenance worker for the Chicago Public Schools clears snow from the sidewalk at Ames Middle School on Sunday. (Credit: CBS)Despite the sub-zero temperatures, Mitchell Rice still delivers mail in Rogers Park. (Credit: Steve Miller) Greg French sent in this photo of ice forming on the inside of his home on Monday. (Credit: Greg French)David McNutt submitted this photo of an icicle that formed over the wind chimes outside his house. (Credit: David McNutt)The connector ramps at Interstate 65 in Merrillville. (Credit: INDOT) The view of Interstate 65 at State Road 2 on Monday afternoon. (Credit: INDOT) Wheeling High School on January 6, 2014. (Credit: Jean Pabon Ayala)Faiza Ahmed took this picture in Warren Dunes State Park. (Credit: Faiza Ahmed)Truckers idle on a street in Merrillville, Ind., waiting for Interstate 65 to reopen to traffic. Indiana officials closed the highway between Gary and Lafayette, due to dangerous driving conditions from the extreme cold, and blowing snow. (Credit: Courtney Gousman)Tony Brunelle snapped this photo in Aurora. (Credit: Tony Brunelle)The Thielke home in Tinley Park. (Viewer photo)(Viewer photo from Shane McKenna)(Viewer photo from Rita Bianchi-Pigozzo)Icicles hang from a roof in Deerfield. (Credit: Raymond Minkus) Amy Arens took this picture of her pug Porkchop out for a walk in Des Plaines. (Credit: Amy Arens)(Viewer photo from Michelle Alexander)Dwayne Jarrell snapped this picture of the sidewalk at Clinton and Kinzie after Metra crews dumped snow there while clearing the nearby parking lot. (Credit: Dwayne Jarrell)Mary Pat Dailey Cross sent in this photo from her home in Wilmette. (Credit: Mary Pat Dailey Cross)The view from Laura Kane's yard in Bourbonnais. (Credit: Laura Kane)The view from Laura Kane's yard in Bourbonnais. (Credit: Laura Kane)(Viewer photo from Kemberlyt)Kay Murphy-Sohocki submitted this photo from her back yard in Hobart, Ind. (Credit: Kay Murphy-Sohocki)Sunrise near Joliet on Monday, when temperatures dropped to -16 degrees. (Credit: Rick H from Addison)Joel Resnick's back yard in Buffalo Grove after the snowstorm. (Credit: Joel Resnick)This car was stranded in the deep snow in Hammond, Ind. (Credit: Jessica Nelson)Laurie Jacobs sent us this photo of her Irish Water Spaniel puppy Wrigley out for a walk in Gurnee. (Credit: Laurie Jacobs)Icicles hang from a roof in Naperville. (Viewer photo from Angie)A CBS 2 viewer sent us this photo of a snowman in Valparaiso. (Viewer Photo)Natalie and John sent this photo of their porch in Glenview. (Viewer photo)A commuter makes a sub-zero trek through the Loop on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Temperatures in the city dipped to -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning on the heals of a polar vortex that has swept into the Midwest bringing with it dangerously cold temperatures not seen in the area in about 20 years. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Commuters make a sub-zero trek to offices in the Loop on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Temperatures in the city dipped to -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning on the heals of a polar vortex that has swept into the Midwest bringing with it dangerously cold temperatures not seen in the area in about 20 years. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Commuters make a sub-zero trek to offices in the Loop on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Temperatures in the city dipped to -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning on the heals of a polar vortex that has swept into the Midwest bringing with it dangerously cold temperatures not seen in the area in about 20 years. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Commuters make a sub-zero trek to offices in the Loop on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Temperatures in the city dipped to -16 degree Fahrenheit this morning on the heals of a polar vortex that has swept into the Midwest bringing with it dangerously cold temperatures not seen in the area in about 20 years. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)A commuter crosses the Chicago River during a sub-zero trek to their offices in the Loop on January 6, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Temperatures in some areas of the city dipped to -16 during the morning commute. A polar vortex sweeping through the Midwest has brought dangerously cold temperatures not seen in about 20 years. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)Faiza Ahmed sent this photo of a tree in Naperville. (Credit: Faiza Ahmed)The Devon Avenue Bridge on I-294 in Rosemont is one of many bridges where the roadway froze due to the extreme cold on Monday. (Credit: Brian Lounsbury)Dana Dodson's cat Buttercup watches the snowfall from the warmth of their home. (Photo from Dana Dodson)(Photo from anonymous CBS 2 viewer)The view of Interstate 65 a bit farther south at U.S. 231 around 12:30 p.m. on Monday. (Credit: INDOT)The view of Interstate 65 at U.S. 30 in Merrillville on Monday afternoon around 12:15 p.m. (Credit: INDOT)Trucks sit near the shut down Interstate 65 on Monday. (Credit: Courtney Gousman)The sun rise over Lake Michigan on a frigid Monday morning, where temperatures were 16 below zero. (Credit: Alexander Hall/Twitter)(Photo credit: Angela J. Freese)
Illinois State Police said at least 60 crashes had been reported on Chicago area highways so far on Tuesday. Hundreds more crashes and spinouts were reported statewide on Monday, with state police assisting at least 2,500 stranded motorists.
Meantime, at the airports, many air travelers have been stuck, in part because of problems with refueling planes. American Airlines said fuel pumping equipment was frozen, or did not work properly.
On Monday, airlines canceled at more than 1,600 flights at O'Hare International Airport, and more than 85 flights at Midway International Airport, due to the extreme cold, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. On Tuesday, more than 1,000 flights were canceled at O'Hare, and more than 180 were canceled at Midway, as of 11 a.m.
Dozens of stranded passengers who had nowhere else to go, because local hotels were booked, slept anywhere they could find a spot at the airports overnight.
Lourdes Ledesma and her family have been stranded at O'Hare International Airport for nearly 24 hours, after spending two days in New York trying to get a flight back home to Mexico. They were supposed to get back home Friday, but were still waiting for a flight early Tuesday morning.
Ledesma had tickets for a flight to Mexico on Tuesday, but wasn't confident it will actually fly.
"I don't know. This is the third one," she said.
Temperatures should rise above zero sometime Tuesday afternoon or evening, and get above freezing by the end of the week, possibly allowing some thawing of heavy snow that has blanketed Chicago since the middle of last week.
