City braces for sub-zero ‘arctic blast’ this weekend

Don’t put away the snow shovel just yet.

The season’s coldest temperatures are expected in the Chicago area later this week, with potentially the city’s coldest blast since the 2019 polar vortex.

The city’s six Community Service Centers will be put to use as warming centers. Normally open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, they also will stay open as needed during the evenings and on the weekend, Mark Sanders, deputy commissioner for human services and workforce development, said at a Wednesday morning news conference. Face coverings will be required to enter, he said, and traffic is monitored hourly so locations are able to ensure a safe social distance.

Those service centers are:

• Englewood Community Service Center, 1140 W. 79th St.

• Garfield Community Service Center, 10 S. Kedzie Ave.

• Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center, 4314 S. Cottage Grove.

• North Area Community Service Center, 845 W. Wilson Ave.

• South Chicago Community Service Center, 8650 S. Commercial Ave.

• Trina Davila Community Service Center, 4312 W. North Ave.

For more information, residents can call City Services at 311 or visit chicago.gov/fss.

A “wintry mix” of light ice, another snowstorm and high winds gusting up to 40 mph could arrive by the end of the week. The Office of Emergency Management and Communications is working with the National Weather Service to monitor this weekend’s forecast, Josh Dennis, first deputy director of OEMC, said at the news conference.

According to the National Weather Service, snow will start accumulating late Thursday, potentially causing “very low” visibility and icy roads. Chicagoans can expect possible sub-zero wind-chills and a high of just 7 degrees on Sunday. Travel could be hazardous, Dennis said.

“We urge residents to take precautions,” Dennis said. “The city of Chicago’s top priority is public safety.”