Snow arrives; 10 tips to handle Wednesday freeze
As snow moved into the area Monday evening, airlines reported delays and roads became increasingly more hazardous, officials said.
By 9 p.m., an inch of snow had fallen in Batavia with an inch and a half in St. Charles and moderate snow falling throughout the suburbs, according to National Weather Service meteorologists.
At O'Hare International Airport, all flights were delayed 30 minutes and more than 230 flights had been canceled throughout the day. At Midway Airport, more than three dozen flights were delayed 45 minutes or more.
Snow began lightly falling at about 5:30 p.m. in the western suburbs and closed in on the city by 8 p.m., Meteorologist Charles Mott said.
"There's some hazardous and slippery roads, but we have not received any significant snowfall totals yet," Mott said.
As many as three to five inches of snow is expected to fall before 2 a.m. Temperatures are expected to stay about the same throughout the evening and into Tuesday morning, he said.
The Illinois Department of Transportation's road-condition Web page shows highways in bad condition across much of northern Illinois and conditions deteriorating in the suburbs. Roads particularly to the west and south were covered in snow and ice, according to the maps. Metra travel Monday evening was unaffected by the snow.
Temperatures are all downhill Tuesday with a low of -1 Tuesday night, a high of 4 degrees expected Wednesday and a low of -8 Wednesday night, says the National Weather Service.
Windchills will be much lower and high winds could cause drifting and blowing snow, particularly in open areas. Officials said frostbite can occur in a matter of minutes under these conditions, and people are urged to bundle up if they expect to be outside for extended periods of time.
In case you've forgotten how to deal with winter's one-two punch that defined last year and is returning this week, here are 10 tips from the DuPage County Health Department, the Schaumburg-based American Veterinary Medical Association and the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes.
For your car
1. Carry a winter emergency kit for use if you become stranded. Include warm boots and extra clothing, blankets, food and water, flares, first-aid kit, sand or kitty litter for traction and a cellphone charger for your car.
2. Keep your car fuel tank at least half full so you can keep warm if stranded. Also, you might have difficulty getting gas during a power outage because gas stations rely on electricity to operate their pumps and might not have backup power.
For your home
3. Let indoor faucets drip to reduce the buildup of pressure in the pipes. Even if the pipes freeze, they are less likely to rupture if the pressure has been released.
4. Be ready for power outages. Keep extra batteries in the house; stock up on food, water, medications and baby supplies; keep an up-to-date first aid kit; and plan for how to keep warm.
5. If you are using a gas heater or fireplace to stay warm, be sure the area is properly ventilated.
6. Do not run a portable generator inside a home or garage. Use gas-powered generators only in well-ventilated areas.
For yourself and your pets
7. Wear layers of light, warm clothing. Mittens are warmer than gloves. Cover your head; you lose as much as 50 percent of your body heat through your head. Wear waterproof boots. Cover areas of your face most susceptible to frostbite, such as ears, nose, chin and forehead.
8. Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. They can cause your body to lose heat rather than warming you up.
9. People with heart disease or other medical conditions should check with their doctors before shoveling snow or exerting themselves outside in the cold.
10. Like people, cats and dogs are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia. Keep pets indoors and shorten walks, especially for puppies and dogs that are older, short-haired or have ailments like diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease.