Dangerous Cold: 30 Below Zero Wind Chill Expected In Illinois

Dangerous wind chills are expected Thursday night into Friday morning for the Chicago area. The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday and ends at noon Friday. The advisory has been issued for Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Cook, La Salle, Kendall, Grundy, Will and Kankakee counties.

The NWS said wind chills of -20 to -30 are expected. A few locations may briefly drop under 30 below zero around daybreak Friday.

Wind gusts of up to 35 mph are possible on Thursday afternoon, as well as some light snow showers. There will also be areas of blowing snow are possible in portions of northern Illinois this
afternoon and evening, the NWS said.

Frozen pipes are also a concern when wind chills are this low. Open the doors to any vanities or cabinets that have pipes on an outside wall. You can also keep a small trickle of water running through the pipe to keep from freezing and even worse, bursting.

If pipes do freeze, you should turn off your water immediately at the main valve. To thaw pipes, use a hair dryer or space heater to warm the air around the pipes very slowly.

Besides frozen pipes, hypothermia and frostbite are a major concern. Low wind chills can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes, the NWS said. Frostbite and hypothermia can occur if precautions aren't taken.

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