6 Things Jimmy Fallon Should Know Before Polar Plunging

The Polar Plunge is a great cause, but prepare yourself, it's going to be cold

There are a few things Jimmy Fallon should know before the "Tonight Show" host takes a dip in Lake Michigan Sunday for Chicago's annual Polar Plunge.

1. It's really cold here. How bad? The Windy City is experiencing its third coldest winter on record, and we're currently enduring our third run-in with a polar vortex. Current wind chill values are -5 degrees, and overnight lows of -10 degrees at O'Hare Airport nearly broke the city's record low for this time of year.

2. It won't get much better by the weekend. Our meteorologists predict a high temperature near 22 on Sunday with steady snow that could become quite heavy in the morning. It's supposed to snow Friday and Saturday, too. Chicago isn't afraid of a little snow, though. As of earlier this week, O’Hare International Airport recorded a season total of 68.3 inches.

3. Lake Michigan is covered in ice. The biting winter left a large percentage of the lake iced over, and heavy machinery was brought in Wednesday to begin creating an arctic swimming hole for the 10 a.m. plunge.
 
4. It sounds like Mayor Rahm Emanuel is leaving his suit at home. Emanuel said Wednesday he plans to wear a T-shirt to the event. He advises you not to bring sunblock-30, "don't bring your Speedo," and "sunglasses and a chair also aren't necessary."

5. Last year's plunge had blue skies and above-freezing temps.

6. Chicago has your back! Winter brought the pain, and we endured, albeit with potholes and ice jams. We're ready to show our chops for a great cause to raise money for Special Olympics Chicago. See you there!

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