Chicago Weather: Record-Setting Snow Moves Out, But Record-Setting Cold Likely
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Record-setting snow moved its way out of the Chicago area Monday afternoon, but the other shoe quickly dropped as cold set in that is likely to set its own records.
A total of 3.4 inches of snow fell at O'Hare International Airport – well above the record of 1.9 inches in for Veterans Day as set in 1995. At Midway International Airport, 2.7 inches of snow fell.
Chicago Weather Snow Totals For November 11, 2019
By just before 7 p.m., the Department of Streets and Transportation had moved its more than 200 salt spreaders to begin clearing and salting residential streets after focusing on main roads.
To see the city's snow fleet in real time, go to www.chicagoshovels.org.
A winter storm remains in place until 4 p.m. Tuesday for LaPorte and St. Joseph counties in Indiana, and Berrien and Cass counties in Michigan, with concerns about heavy lake-effect snow.
Meanwhile, after nightfall, bitter cold was poised to break some records of its own. At 10 p.m., the temperature was 15 degrees -- matching a record low set in 1950.
The low overnight Monday night into Tuesday is forecast at 10 degrees, with wind chills as low as minus 10. To the west in Aurora, the temperature will drop to a mere 5 degrees.
The record low temperature for Nov. 12 is 8 degrees, set in 1986.
But the record low daytime high for Nov. 12 is also 28 degrees. The forecast high for Tuesday is only 21, and some areas might even struggle to reach 20 -- with the wind chill keeping feels-like temperatures in the single digits, CBS 2 Meteorologist Mary Kay Kleist reported.
Overnight Tuesday Wednesday, the forecast low also bottoms out at 13. The record low for the date is 6 degrees, also set in 1986.
The OEMC reminded everyone to take extra precautions in the cold and to be sure to check on seniors, those living alone, or neighbors and family – particularly those with disabilities.
The Fire Department also recommends that people refrain from using space heaters altogether if possible, and that any space heater that is used is UL certified and at least 3 feet from anything that can catch fire. Residents are also reminded they must have working carbon monoxide detectors that can detect leaks from a failing heating system.
Smoke detectors should also be kept in working order, and frozen pipes should only be thawed with a dryer or a heating pad – never candles or an open flame.
OEMC also advised avoiding unnecessary trips; wearing layers; keeping your head, hands, and feet covered when outdoors; staying dry, because moisture can undermine the insulating effect of clothing; and paying attention to daily needs. To request shelter, information on warming centers, or a wellbeing check, call 311 – or access the 311 online portal or the CHI311 app.
For more information on warming centers, click here.
On Monday, the snow forced O'Hare to institute a ground stop for all planes in the morning. More than 1,000 flights were canceled Monday between O'Hare and Midway.
An American Airlines flight from North Carolina also skidded off the runway at O'Hare Monday morning after its landing gear snapped, tipping the jet onto its wing, as the blowing snow fell.
Meanwhile, the powerful winds coming down Lake Michigan also create lakeshore flooding and erosion concerns. Large waves through Tuesday were expected reach levels of 10 to 12 feet in northern Illinois and along the Indiana shore.
Because of that, police closed South Shore Drive between 67th and 71st streets Monday afternoon as water was coming up onto the roadway.
By just after 4 p.m., the northbound lanes on South Shore Drive were back open, and the southbound lanes reopened not long afterward.
Temperatures will start climbing again Wednesday, reaching the low 30s, and rising to the upper 30s again by the weekend.
The normal high for this date is 51 degrees.
