Chicago's About To Become The Coldest It's Been Since Last Year's Polar Vortex

DOWNTOWN — Chicago is about to get much, much colder.

Snow and then a “blast of bitter cold” will hit later this week, potentially making it feel as cold as 7 degrees below zero at points in the city, according to the National Weather Service.

The snow is expected to start noon Wednesday and it won’t end until Thursday afternoon, with some lake effect snow possibly lingering into the night, according to the National Weather Service. There’s a chance 4 or more inches of snow could accumulate during the long storm.

It will also be windy, with gusts as high as 20 mph Wednesday and 30 mph Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. It’s possible there will be more lakeshore flooding as a result.

Wednesday has an expected high temperature of 36 degrees — but that drops sharply on Thursday to just 27 degrees. It’ll get even colder overnight, when the low will hit 3 degrees but it could feel even chillier with the windchill.

During that time, the city will likely see the lowest temperatures it’s faced since last winter, when Chicago’s “polar vortex” made it feel like it was 50 below zero.

Friday will stay cold with an expected high temperature of just 16 degrees.

Long duration accumulating snow increasingly likely Wed. PM-Thu. Snow rates light to occasionally moderate but a period of heavier rates psbl south of I-80 Wed. PM. Lake effect could add to totals on Thu in NW IN & possibly part of NE IL. Blowing snow psbl on Thu. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/qLwxgoQd4u
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) February 11, 2020

In the wake of expected snow, a brief blast of bitter cold Thu. night-Fri. AM. Likely lowest temps since winter 2019 & late first <0° reading for many spots. Winds will be diminishing, w/lowest wind chills ~10 to 20 below zero. Teens Fri. PM but light winds & sunny. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/VulRcpZRN3
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) February 11, 2020

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Chicago’s About To Become The Coldest It’s Been Since Last Year’s Polar Vortex

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