The National Weather Service issued a cold-weather advisory for Chicago and other parts of the state this weekend, warning of “dangerously cold wind chills” that could dip as low as 20 to 25 degrees below zero.
The advisory is in effect from 6 p.m. Sunday to noon Monday in portions of central, east central, north central and northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana. The “bitterly cold” temperatures can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes, according to the weather service.
“After the sun starts to go down in the late afternoon, temperatures will fall even more, and when we expect wind chills for the city around 20 below,” said NWS meteorologist Kevin Doom.
While cold snaps aren’t uncommon at some point in the winter, Doom said these temperatures are much lower than the typical 31 degrees this time of year. The forecast shows wind gusts of 15 to 20 miles per hour Sunday and Monday.
The weather service recommended wearing appropriate clothing outdoors, including a hat and gloves. They also said to keep pets indoors as much as possible and to make frequent checks on older family, friends and neighbors.
“If you have to go outside, make sure you’re bundling up,” Doom said. “This definitely isn’t the kind of cold to mess around with.”
City officials said in a Saturday news release that it operates more than 209 public facilities available for warming, including libraries, Park District facilities and senior service centers. The Garfield Community Service Center at 10 South Kedzie Avenue will also be open Sunday as a warming center.
After some recovery Monday afternoon, the weather service expects another round of dangerously cold wind chills Monday night into Tuesday morning.
