Schools are closing or operating remotely and warming shelters are opening their doors as temperatures in Northwest Indiana are expected to plunge into the negative single digits Friday and wind chills as low as -28 are predicted, according to the National Weather Service.
A collapsing polar vortex is expected to bring high winds, a chance of snow and freezing temperatures through the weekend as dangerously frigid air from Siberia and the North Pole is expected to dip the Great Lakes into subzero territory.
Anthony Souffle, Chicago Tribune
Chicago’s 2014 weather saw a polar vortex that trapped the city in an arctic freeze in early January and 82 inches of snow, the city’s third-snowiest winter. (Anthony Souffle/Chicago Tribune)
“A piece of (the polar vortex) will break off and meander southward into our area,” said Gino Izzi, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service has issued a cold weather advisory from 3 a.m. Friday until 9 a.m. Saturday for Northwest Indiana.
A polar vortex is a constant cold, low-pressure system of air that circulates counterclockwise around both of the Earth’s poles, acting like a wall that contains cold air. A jet stream is a band of strong wind that generally travels from west to east and acts as a boundary between cold, polar air and warmer air farther south. A weak polar vortex can cause the jet stream to buckle, sending Arctic air from the North Pole southward, according to NWS.
When a polar vortex collapsed in 2014 and brought dramatic subzero arctic air and windchills to the Midwest, Izzi said many Chicagoans started loosely referring to other severe winter storms as “polar vortexes.” This time it’s not expected to be as severe as in 2014 when that vortex was centered directly over the Great Lakes; this year it is farther north over Canada.
This winter may also be less predictable due to a weak La Niña year.
La Niña is a climate pattern of cooler-than-average ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. During a La Niña year, cooler-than-average global ocean temperatures bring cold weather to the Midwest and Great Lakes. But La Niña weather conditions are also highly variable, Izzi said.
Indiana state agencies recommend the following precautions if you must leave your house in hazardous conditions: Slow down and adjust your speed to road conditions, especially in snow; Check conditions and forecasts before you hit the road; Allow plenty of time to reach your destination safely; Never tailgate or drive beside a snowplow; Leave extra space between your vehicle and the one in front of you; Prepare an emergency kit with snacks, water, a phone charger, sand or cat litter, flares or bright LED alternatives, a flashlight, and blankets or extra clothing; Keep your vehicle full of gas and check your battery, fluids and spare tire; and Clear all snow and ice from your vehicle’s windows, lights, and signals.
Schools
Among K-12 schools, most are moving to elearning on Friday, including the Crown Point, Gary, East Chicago, Griffith, Hammond, Hanover, Highland, Hobart, Lake Central, Lake Station, Lake Ridge, Merrillville, River Forest, Tri-Creek, and Whiting districts in Lake County. Munster is starting its elearning on a two-hour delay.
In Porter County, East Porter, Duneland, Valparaiso, Portage, Union Township, and Boone Township schools are all having elearning days.
Both Purdue University Northwest campuses at Hammond and Westville will operate remotely on Friday. For updates about the status of PNW campus operations, see pnw.edu/alerts.
At Valparaiso University, all in-person academic classes on Friday will be suspended while normal campus operations will continue. The Valparaiso International Center’s Fourth Friday presentation on Jamaica, originally scheduled for Friday, has been rescheduled for March 27.
Warming shelters
In Valparaiso, the YMCA, located at 1201 Cumberland Crossing will be open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.. on Monday through Friday; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The Valparaiso Branch of the Porter County Public Library, located at 103 Jefferson St., is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Daybreak Recovery Center, located at 500 Don Hovey Drive, is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
In Portage, warming shelters are set up at Woodland Park, Portage Public Library and South Haven Public Library. Woodland Park is open 8 a.m. to 4 pm., Monday through Friday. The libraries are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Portage fire stations are also available as temporary warming shelters. For transportation, call the Portage Police Department at (219) 762-3122. The Portage Township trustee’s office has an emergency shelter line at (219) 741-9442.
In Gary, the warming centers have two categories: Women, Children and Family Shelters and Men’s Shelters. In the first category, the Calumet Township Multi-Purpose Center, located at 1900 W. 41st Ave., will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., while men are welcome at Brother’s Keeper, located at 2120 Broadway, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In Hammond, the Civic Center, located at 5825 Sohl Ave, Sportsplex, located at 6630 Indianapolis Blvd.; and Jean Shepherd Center, located at 3031 J.F. Mahoney Dr., are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
In Hobart, the police station is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., the public library is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and Maria Reiner Senior Center is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Safety tips
NIPSCO advises residents to clear snow and ice from intake and exhaust vents, which can help avoid carbon monoxide buildup and help appliances operate well. Space heaters, which are a source of winter home fires, should be used with caution, on hard surfaces and anything flammable should be at least three feet away. Do not burn charcoal or run a generator indoors. Never use a stove or oven as a source of heat. Meters should be clear and visible in case maintenance is required.
Frozen pipes can cause pipes to burst during extreme cold events. Let faucets drip, especially those adjacent to an exterior wall, according to the American Red Cross.
Chimneys should be cleaned and checked for blockage at least once a year before using your fireplace, NIPSCO stated in a rellease
If you smell any “rotten egg” odor of natural gas or think there may be a gas leak, stop what you are doing, leave the area immediately, and then call 911 and the NIPSCO emergency line at 1-800-634-3524. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, irregular breathing, and feeling ill or tired while at home, but fine when away.
For more winter weather and home safety tips, visit nipsco.com/winter.
To find out more about the resources available to help you manage your energy bill and pay down past due balances, call NIPSCO at 1-800-464-7726 or visit nipsco.com/assistance.
The Chicago Tribune contributed.
