Palos Police Prepare For Prepare For Deep Freeze: UPDATED

PALOS, IL — Santa is really going to need Rudolph’s red nose to lead his sleigh when the polar vortex and a possible blizzard hits the Chicago area this weekend.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for the Chicago area, which goes into effect at 6 p.m. Thursday and lasts until 6 a.m. Saturday. Falling and blowing snow could cause “white-out conditions” with zero visibility at times, the weather service said. Wind gusts up to 55 mph are possible, with dangerously cold temperatures as low as 25 to 30 below zero likely on Thursday night and Friday.

UPDATED — Palos Hills Police are available for senior well-being checks for Palos Hills residents. To request a well-being check, please by contacting the Palos Hills police non-emergency number, 708-598-2151 or 911.

The Palos Hills Police and City of Palos Hills will be monitoring the weather conditions and have extra resources on standby. If you need police assistance, please call 708-598-2151 or 911.

Palos Heights police will have additional officers working throughout Christmas weekend to assist residents and motorists with any emergency they may have. The police department has also coordinated with the Palos Heights Recreation Center, 6601 W. 127th St., to make available the Orchard Room as a warming center, if needed.

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We do conduct regular house checks, and will check in on the elderly if asked to so do,” said Deputy Chief Bill Czajkowski, of the Palos Heights Police Department.

If you are a resident of Palos Heights, need someone to check on your elderly parents, or find yourself stranded there, call the non-emergency number, 708-448-2131 or 911.

“No matter how insignificant they may believe their complaint is,” Czajkowski said.

Senior well-being checks have already started in Palos Park, Chief Joe Miller said. Family members concerned about elderly loved ones but live too far away to check up on them, or seniors who require some help managing the cold weather, can contact the Palos Park Police Department for a well-being check. Simply call 911 or the police non-emergency number at 708-448-2191. All area residents are urged to stay indoors as much as possible for the next few days.

The village’s primary warming center is at the Palos Park Metra Station, 123rd Street and 82nd Avenue. In case of power outages, the Kaptur Administrative Center/Village Hall, 8999 W. 123rd St., will open as a warming center, and, if needed, the Palos Park Recreation Center, 8901 W. 123rd St.

“We’re monitoring EMA and NWS,” Miller said. “The latest models for the south suburbs show 7 to 8 inches of snow.”