Dangerous wind chills and arctic temperatures have led the National Weather Service to issue wind chill advisories and warnings for a number of Chicago-area counties.
A wind chill warning for Kane County, as well as northern and eastern portions of Will County, remains in effect through noon on Sunday. Residents are urged to use extreme caution, with dangerously cold wind chill values between 30 and 35 degrees below zero expected, according to the NWS.
Meanwhile, the following Chicago-area counties are under a wind chill advisory through 9 a.m. Wednesday: Cook, McHenry, Lake, DuPage, Will and Kane counties in Illinois, as well as Lake and Porter counties in northwest Indiana. Windy conditions and the extreme cold can lead to very cold wind chills of 20 to 30 degrees below zero, according to meteorologists.
Such wind chill values can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
While concern has shifted from the snow to the chilly temperatures, snow-covered roads are possible through Sunday morning. Blowing and drifting snow could create pockets of very low visibility overnight, especially in open areas.
Those planning to be out on the road should prepare their vehicle with emergency supplies and anticipate slow conditions.
A warmup into the teens is expected starting Wednesday, though temperatures will sit below normal through the rest of the week, according to the NWS.
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