When Noe Robles first got to Chicago five years ago, the Ecuadorian was taken aback by the cold.
But now the 23-year-old has no problem stepping out in frigid temps. On Saturday he spent five hours shoveling snow for some extra cash, and on Sunday he braved the below-zero wind chills to work at his regular construction job.
“The cold isn’t a problem for those of us who have to work,” Robles said. “We aren’t scared of it.”
The National Weather Service reported extreme cold and a minus 40 wind chill on Sunday morning at Aurora airport and issued a wind chill warning until noon Monday. A wind chill warning is issued when wind chills reach minus 30 or colder. When this happens, exposed skin can experience frostbite in as little as 10 minutes.
Weather service senior meteorologist Brett Borchardt said Chicago narrowly missed breaking the record for the lowest maximum temperature for Jan. 14 of 1 degree. Temperatures at O’Hare were at 3 degrees “for a few minutes” after midnight Sunday before plummeting below zero.
The official low for Chicago, which is reported at O’Hare, is minus 10, the coldest temp recorded at the airport since Jan. 31, 2019, when the temp was minus 21. The average low for Jan. 14 is 19 degrees, according to WGN meteorologist Mike Janssen. In 1979, Chicago set a record low for Jan. 14 at 14 below.
Still, Borchardt said periods of extreme cold are not unusual for the region at this time of year. “It’s comparable with some of the colder snaps that we’ve had. It’s not the coldest on record by far. Every year, we’re going to get these cold stretches; this is just one of the colder ones.”
“This is the coldest air we’ve experienced this season, so it’s important to dress up from head to toe and limit time outdoors if possible. The wind chill is pretty nasty out there,” Borchardt said.
Irene Matuszak, 17, and Pia Chapello, 18, took that advice to heart. The two friends bundled up as they stepped out into the biting air Sunday evening to get a snack.
They walked about a mile through Portage Park in the Arctic-like temps to get McChicken sandwiches.
“It was worth it,” Irene said. “We got to freeze a little but, you know, you have to live life. We can’t let it stop us.”
As they walked back from the restaurant they belted out an enthusiastic rendition of “Let It Go,” the hit song from Disney’s “Frozen” to distract them from the cold.
“We’re trying to think like happy, warm thoughts,” Irene said.
According to the weather service, high temperatures Monday and Tuesday are expected to reach 6 degrees, with wind chills as low as minus 30. Wednesday and Thursday should be warmer, with high temperatures in the mid 20s. There is a chance of snow on Thursday, and temperatures could drop again Friday with a high of 10, according to NWS.
As temperatures hit below zero over the weekend, the Harold Washington Library opened as a 24/7 city warming center, and migrants at the city’s landing zone in the West Loop were moved there.
The lower level of the library will remain open around the clock through Wednesday, when temperatures are expected to rise.
Chicago Public Schools has canceled and rescheduled events that were to be held at district sites Monday because of the cold. Classes were already not scheduled to take place due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The district hasn’t made a decision on Tuesday’s classes but said it’s monitoring the weather and will communicate a decision to families and staff.
The Chicago History Museum also canceled its Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations and announced it would close Monday due to the weather.
Ginnia Rivera, who works at Bridgeport Coffee, said the extra cold temperatures seemed to have kept people home, as the cafe was mostly empty Sunday afternoon.
“The regulars will still make the journey out,” Rivera said. “I’ve seen a few familiar faces today. But it’s been slow otherwise.”
Patrick Gill, a bike messenger and Bridgeport Coffee regular, stopped in for a sprinkled donut and coffee.
“I could be out in this all day long. I’ve been out there literally all day today on my bicycle. This is the first time I’ve been inside,” Gill said. “Staying active and riding my bike keeps me warm.”
The delivery business was slow on Sunday so he road his bike to Andersonville and gradually worked his way back home. It was also his first real test to make sure his gear can keep him warm for a whole day’s work. His oversized backpack offers insulation and the HotHands warmers in his gloves and shoes give him eight hours of warmth.
Most of his work brings him from Bridgeport, where he lives, to the Loop.
“I’ve delivered everything from pizza to blood work,” Gill said.
