How Cold Did It Get: Here's How Low Temps Dipped In Chicago Area

CHICAGO, IL — Frigid cold temperatures hit the Chicago area in recent days as wind chill factors dropped well below zero. But, just how low did the temperatures go in your town?

The National Weather Service has released its list of the coldest recorded temperatures and wind chills factors for this year's cold spell — which comes nearly one year after a Jan. 19-24, 2025 cold snap in the Chicago area and two years after a brutal polar vortex hit from Jan. 14-17, 2024.

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Last year, the lowest wind chill hit -30 and was recorded in Sugar Grove on Jan. 21, 2025. In 2024, a -42 wind chill factor recorded in Chicago on Jan. 14 topped the Chicago area's lowest wind child factor chart.

This year, the wind chill didn't dip quite as low as 2024, but it got really close.

On Friday, the lowest wind chill factor of -37 was observed at Waukegan Airport, while the lowest temperature — also recorded at Waukegan Airport —was -14 degrees.

While the cold continues this week, the most frigid days appear to be behind us.

Here's a look at the lowest temperatures and most brutal wind chill factors in the Chicago area on Friday and Saturday:

Lowest wind chills on Friday:

• Waukegan Airport: -37
• Buffalo Grove:-36
• Aurora Airport: -36
• West Chicago - DuPage Airport: -36
• Chicago - O'Hare Airport: -36
• Mundelein: -35
• Wheeling - Chicago Executive Airport: -35
• Cary (UP Rail): -34
• Oak Lawn: -34
• Chicago - Midway Airport: -34
• Marengo:-33
• Romeoville - Lewis Airport: -32
• Antioch: -32
• Elgin: -32
• Rolling Meadows: -32
• Palatine: -31
• New Lenox: -30
• Hawthorn Woods: -29
• Wilmette: -28
• Batavia: -26
• Lake Zurich: -24
• Yorkville: -23
• Aurora: -23
• Joliet: -21
• Tinley Park: -20

Low temperatures on Friday:

• Rockford Airport: -14
• Waukegan Airport: -14
• West Chicago - DuPage Airport: -12
• Wheeling - Chicago Exec. Airport: -12
• Aurora Airport: -11
• Romeoville - NWS Chicago: -11
• Chicago - O'Hare Airport: -11
• Chicago - Midway Airport: -9
• Chicago - Northerly Island: -8

Saturday wind chills:

• Chicago Executive Airport - Wheeling: -30
• Waukegan Airport: -30
• Buffalo Grove: -28
• Elgin: -28
• Romeoville - Lewis Airport: -28
• Chicago - O'Hare Airport: -28
• Aurora Airport: -28
• Chicago - Midway Airport: -27
• West Chicago - DuPage Airport: -27
• Oak Lawn: -27
• Mundelein: -26
• Rockford Airport: -25
• Palatine: -25
• Cary (UP Rail): -22
• Wilmette: -20
• New Lenox: -20
• Marengo: -20
• Antioch: -20
• Batavia: -19
• Grayslake: -19
• Joliet: -18
• Lake Zurich: -18
• Aurora: -17
• Tinley Park: -16
• Plainfield: -15

Low temperatures on Saturday:

• Waukegan Airport: -13
• Wheeling - Chicago Executive Airport: -11
• Aurora Airport:-10
• West Chicago - DuPage Airport: 10
• Chicago - O'Hare Airport: -10
• Romeoville - NWS Chicago: -9
• Chicago - Midway Airport: -7
• Chicago - Northerly Island: -5