Bitter Cold To Start The Day, Steady Snow To End It
Updated 01/05/15 - 6:24 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Frigid cold early Monday was only the first real taste of winter for the Chicago area this year. A winter storm Monday night could dump up several inches by Tuesday morning.
Steady snowfall will likely begin around 9 p.m. according to CBS 2 Meteorologist Steve Baskerville, resulting in up to four inches of snow in some parts of the Chicago area, stopping around 5 a.m. Farther south near Kankakee could see up to six inches of snow.
As of 6 p.m., the temperature at O'Hare was only four degrees with a wind chill of eight below. Monday's bitter temperatures were only a preview for later in the week, as Wednesday's high will be only zero, and the low could hit 10 below.
Anyone who does have to go outside in such extreme cold should dress in layers, and make sure no skin is exposed to the cold. Hypothermia and frostbite can set in after only a few minutes in such frigid conditions.
A winter weather advisory has been issued through 6 a.m. Tuesday.
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The city of Chicago was taking no chances. The city will deploy its full fleet of more than 280 plows and salt spreaders Monday night to keep roads as clear as possible once the snow starts falling.
The Department of Streets and Sanitation also will deploy more than 20 of its smaller 4x4 plows.
Those conditions will serve as a reminder for drivers to plan for potentially slick conditions. Police have reminded drivers early on to slow down under such conditions, and give themselves more time to get where they're going.
As of 4 p.m. Monday, 135 flights have been canceled at O'Hare. On Sunday, a total of 2.2 inches of snow were measured at O'Hare International Airport.
While Chicago area residents were trying to keep warm, the region's mass transit systems were trying to keep everything running smoothly.
For Metra, it was all about keeping track switches warm so they don't freeze over, and create massive delays.
Last year, during the infamous polar vortex, crews used controlled fires to heat tracks and switches to prevent them from freezing and shutting down.
The CTA uses sleet scrapers on the third rails that power its trains to prevent them from freezing over in extreme cold conditions. Deicers are used on doors to keep them from freezing shut.
If you plan to hit the road this week in your car, officials at the Illinois Department of Transportation have suggested keeping blankets, jumper cables, non-perishable food, and a cell phone as part of an emergency kit, in case your car breaks down on the road or gets stuck in the ice.