Chicago chilled to the bone by winter temps

They say the cold off Lake Michigan can be pretty brutal, but even Chicagoans are saying, this is ridiculous.

Chicago, known as the "City of Big Shoulders", needs to cover those shoulders with heavy coats, scarves and layers as the temperature around 8:30 pm Central time on Tuesday stood at -19 C.

Throw in those lake-effect gusts and the wind chill factor was -25 C on Tuesday evening, according to weather.com. That cold arrived after 13 straight days of snowfall around the city.

Forecasters stated that the cold could break the record for the lowest temperature that Chicago has ever recorded: -27 C at O'Hare International Airport in 1985.

Local television showed the Chicago River and Lake Michigan filled with chunks of ice.

The brutal cold blast, known as the polar vortex, is a stream of air that spins around the stratosphere over the North Pole but whose current has been disrupted and is now pushing south into the United States.

The US Midwest region, including parts of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan, was hit with record low temperatures that were forecast to last until Thursday.

The US Postal Service - known for its commitment to bringing the mail whatever the weather - has even reportedly suspended deliveries in Iowa due to the severe cold.

It's not only the Midwest. The cold was expected to stretch from the Dakotas through Maine, with snow expected as far south as Alabama and Georgia.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation, offering resources to help officials respond.

"This storm poses a serious threat to the well-being of people around the state, and we will use every tool at our disposal to keep our residents safe," Pritzker said in a statement.

The Chicago public school system canceled all extracurricular activities on Tuesday and announced that all the schools in the 300,000-student system would be closed on Wednesday.

Even the city's supply of its signature deep-dish pizza was affected: The Lou Malnati's chain announced on Tuesday it would stop taking delivery orders.

"I remember a cold winter like this in the mid-1980s," said Jeff Kroin, 74, a researcher at the Rush University Medical Center who has been living in Chicago for more than 40 years.

"I remember I had my car parked on the street back then and had to run over every 15 minutes to start the engine so the battery wouldn't die," he added. "I'm so relieved that I have a heated garage now."

Kroin said that the medical center will require only essential staff, such as doctors in emergency rooms, to report to work.

The snow and winds also reduced visibility at O'Hare International and Midway airports, causing nearly 600 flights to be canceled.

Metra, the Chicago commuter rail, reported delays in service to the suburbs of the country's third-largest city, as commuters rushed to get home. Metra announced that the trains would run on modified schedules on Wednesday.

Many venues canceled shows scheduled for Tuesday evening and Wednesday, including, appropriately, Disney on Ice Presents Mickey's Search Party, at the United Center on Wednesday, which offered refunds.

The Chicago Park District opened "drop-in centers" in many parks on Tuesday, providing shelters for people to warm up.

More snow is forecast for Wednesday morning and Thursday night.

"I was born and raised in Chicago," said Susan Garvey. "I'm always braced for the cold in Chicago."

However, Garvey said that she did some grocery shopping on Tuesday because Wednesday was predicted to be colder.

"I was surprised to see many people in the supermarket," she said. "I guess people want to be prepared, just like me."

People were advised to stay indoors, and drivers advised to keep off the roads. Forecasters warned that exposed skin can get frostbite in just five minutes at these temperatures.

Some subdivisions and condominium associations sent out notices to their residents to take steps to prevent frozen water pipes.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency advised residents to create emergency kits for home and for their cars. Home emergency kits can include water, food, medication and a flashlight, and car kits can include items such as blankets, jumper cables and a snow scraper.

Reuters contributed to this story.

For China Daily

(China Daily 01/31/2019 page12)