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Did you notice the stunning, colorful sight in the sky Monday morning? It wasn’t a rainbow. It’s called a sundog, a weather phenomenon that only happens when the conditions are just right. But what exactly is it and how is it formed? Here’s an explainer: What is a sundog? According to the National Weather Service, “sundogs are colored spots of light that develop due to the refraction of light through ice crystals.” The refractions are located about 22 degrees to the right, left, or on both sides of the sun and can appear rainbow-like, with red seen closest to the sun and blue to the outside. Some, however, may simply appear white. “Sundogs are also known as mock suns or parhelia, which means ‘with the sun,'” the NWS reports. The phenomenon is similar to sun halos or pillars, which are also considered “atmospheric optical effects.” The Farmer’s Almanac notes the phenomenon can also be called a “parhelion” and is often rainbow-colored. “A sun dog is similar to a rainbow and is more common,” the Almanac stated. “Sometimes, they look like bright rainbows or colorful spots on either side of the Sun. Other times, they are brighter and actually look like two extra Suns.” How do sundogs form? “In the atmosphere, under certain conditions, water drops and ice crystals can act as a prism, allowing us to see the various colors that make up visible light,” the NWS reports. According to the Almanac, sundogs appear when sunlight passes through a thin veil of ice crystal clouds, which acts as a prism and refracts the light. Not to be confused with a rainbow, which forms when “drops of rain act as prisms, breaking sunlight into a multitude of colors.” What else to know According to Space.com, certain conditions make sundogs more likely. They most often appear near sunrise or sunset, as the sun is closer to the horizon. “When the sun is high in the sky sunlight can’t pass through ice crystals as easily,” the publication reports. Winter is also more likely to see sundogs, since ice crystals are needed. The Chicago area was under a cold weather advisory Monday morning, with wind chills as low as -25 degrees expected. See the images Sun Dog in Grayslake by Cher Schwartz Sun dog in Lindenhurst by Emma Jacobsen Sun dog in northern Illinois taken by Anita Knotekova-Patel This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

A cold weather advisory issued for the Chicago area has been extended Monday as forecasters warn of dangerous wind chills that could cause frostbite within minutes. The advisory now remains in effect until noon Monday as arctic air plunges wind chills as low as 25 degrees below zero, with wind gusts of up to 40 mph possible. Forecasters warned wind chills of this level can lead to frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the strong winds could cause areas of blowing snow with the potential for “poor visibility and hazardous travel.” “Scattered snow showers will further exacerbate visibility impacts at times,” the advisory warned. The alert took effect at 3 a.m. for the entirety of northern Illinois as well as Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties in northwest Indiana, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures in the morning had dropped into the single digits and were around zero degrees and even below zero degrees in the northwest suburbs, NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said. With such cold conditions, the NWS warns of an increased risk of hypothermia and frozen pipes — and reminded residents to bring pets indoors. While the advisory ends at noon, the extreme cold will still continue. Afternoon temps stay in the single digits, with wind chill values as low as -15 degrees possible Tuesday morning. Conditions will improve throughout the day Tuesday, with overall readings climbing into the mid-teens by the evening. High temperatures will likely reach the upper teens to around 20 degrees, the NBC 5 Storm Team said. Warmer weather will arrive on Wednesday, with highs increasing to the upper 20s, though it will be joined by a chance for snow. Temperatures will dip not far after that, however. Highs are expected to only reach the mid-to-upper teens on Thursday. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

President Donald Trump warned Europe that he no longer feels “the obligation to think purely of peace,” linking his hostile campaign to seize Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Norway’s leader has said. The message was the latest move in the spiraling transatlantic tensions between the United States and Europe, which vowed Monday not to be blackmailed by Trump’s intensifying pressure to take over the Danish territory. As European powers scrambled to respond to Trump’s promise to implement tariffs on countries that stand in his way, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre went public with the president’s warning. “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America,” Trump said in the message, the text of which was first reported by PBS and confirmed as accurate in a statement by the Norwegian leader. The White House did not immediately respond to an overnight request for comment from NBC News. European governments weighed a strong response to their postwar friend in Washington ahead of an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday. “Germany and France agree: We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed,” German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said. “Blackmail between allies of 250 years, blackmail between friends, is obviously unacceptable,” French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said at the same event. “We Europeans must make it clear: The limit has been reached,” Klingbeil said. In the short term, European governments are considering a range of options including their own tariffs. Another is the European Union’s “bazooka” — officially known as the Anti-Coercion Instrument, which has never been used before. This allows E.U. countries to take retaliatory action against any rivals seen as threatening the bloc, and could involve restricting American access to tenders or investment proposals. Some geopolitical and historical experts believe Trump’s pursuit of Greenland has now become the lowest ebb of transatlantic relations since the Suez Crisis of 1956, when the U.S. pressured Britain, France and Israel to withdraw from their invasion of Egypt. It was against this backdrop that Trump’s message to the Norwegian leader was made public. “I can confirm that this is a text message that I received yesterday afternoon from President Trump,” the Norwegian leader said. He said it came in response to an initial communication from himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in which they conveyed their “opposition to his announced tariff increases.” Støre also pointed out that — regardless of its merits — this backlash was misdirected, as the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and not the Norwegian government. Trump has made no secret of his desire to become a Nobel laureate, or of his displeasure when it was instead awarded to the Venezuelan opposition activist María Corina Machado last month. Machado presented Trump with the award last week, after he left her out of his plans for Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said that the coveted prize cannot “even symbolically, be passed on or further distributed.” Trump says that he wants Greenland to counter what he calls a growing threat from Russia and China. The U.S. already has huge leeway to establish military bases on the Arctic island or strike deals to mine its vast mineral resources. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended Trump’s moves, telling NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that the president was using “the economic might of the U.S. to avoid a hot war.” He said the goal was to avoid a future “national emergency.” Trump said late Sunday that “Denmark has been unable to do anything about” the Russian threat. “Now it is time, and it will be done!!!”…

Monday’s holiday will mark a number of closures across Illinois as the United States honors and celebrates civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The federal holiday, which began under a bill signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, is the only one designated as a national day of service, urging Americans to give back in reflection of King’s legacy. Many schools and businesses close to give residents the opportunity to do just that. Here’s a look at what’s closed to help you plan ahead. Banks Because Monday is a federal holiday, banks will be closed. Public Libraries Branches of the Chicago Public Library, along with many other public libraries across the state, will be closed Monday. Mail and Package Delivery Mail won’t be delivered as U.S. post offices will be closed on Monday. While post offices won’t be open, FedEx will continue deliveries, though some locations have “modified hours.” UPS does not do pickup or delivery service on the holiday, and many locations are closed, according to the company. Are schools closed on Monday? While not deemed a “legal school holiday,” the Illinois State Board of Education has said school districts can choose to celebrate it. If that’s the case, the district considers it a “Not in Attendance” day, which means “no students are engaged in learning as determined by the local school board. According to Chicago Public Schools’ calendar for 2025-26, the district does observe the day as a holiday, meaning schools are closed to both teachers and students. For students in districts where class will be in session, a recently passed law allows excused absences in exchange for engaging in a civic activity. According to House Bill 5488, which took effect Jan. 1, 2023, that any public middle or high school student will be permitted at least one “day-long excused absence from school to engage in a civic event.” Holidays Jan 16 Are Illinois schools open on Monday? What's open and closed on MLK Jr. Day for 2026 Holidays Jan 6 55 powerful Martin Luther King Jr. quotes to inspire you National Park Service Dec 6, 2025 Trump administration alters national parks' free-entry days, cutting MLK Day and Juneteenth Stock Market Both the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ are closed Monday, Jan. 19. Regular trading hours are expected to resume on Tuesday. DMVs and State Offices According to the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, MLK Day is a state holiday, and as a result, state government offices will be closed. That includes driver services facilities operated by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office. City of Chicago offices will be closed on Monday, according to a list of holidays posted on the city’s website. The same will also be true for government offices in suburban Cook County. What’s open? While most government facilities won’t be open, the same can’t be said for restaurants, grocery stores and retail establishments. Major chain stores such as Target, Costco, Walmart, The Home Depot, Jewel-Osco and Mariano’s will remain open. Many museums and cultural centers across the state also remain open, and some are even offering free admission for Illinois residents. As part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s “Free Winter Weekdays,” the museum will be free on Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Illinois residents. The Chicago History Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Chicago Botanic Garden will also have free admission days on Monday.

The Cardiac Bears thought they had one more comeback up their sleeves, but the Los Angeles Rams managed to seize a 20-17 win in overtime Sunday. Caleb Williams threw an interception on the Bears’ possession in overtime, and Davante Adams and Puka Nacua hauled in key catches to get the Rams into field goal range, where Harrison Mevis booted through the game-winning field goal to eliminate the Bears. The win propels the Rams into the NFC title game, where they will face the Seattle Seahawks next weekend. The Bears had multiple opportunities to convert on fourth downs in Rams territory, but only were 1-of-4 on such plays until Caleb Williams heaved a fourth-down touchdown pass to Cole Kmet to tie things up at 17-17 to force overtime. Unfortunately the comeback attempt came to naught, as Stafford and the Rams captured the game and put themselves one win away from a Super Bowl appearance. After Williams threw a fourth down interception to end the Bears’ first drive, the Rams put together a 14-play, 85-yard scoring drive to give themselves a lead. Stafford threw for 67 yards on the possession, and Kyren Williams capped it off with a four-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 Rams lead. The Bears responded with a scoring drive of their own, capping it off early in the second quarter with a Williams toss to DJ Moore on fourth and goal to tie things up at 7-7. As the second quarter moved along, both defenses clamped down, but the teams were able to trade field goals in the late stages of the second quarter to send the game to halftime at 10-10. A scoreless third quarter followed, but the Rams were able to finally get back on the board in the middle stages of the fourth as they executed a 14-play, 91-yard drive that chewed up six minutes of clock. After a Nacua conversion on a fourth down play, Williams again did the honors for the Rams as he scampered in from five yards out, giving Los Angeles a 17-10 lead. The Bears then returned the favor with a drive of nearly six minutes, but they once again stalled out just shy of the goal line, as three straight run plays and a Williams pass couldn’t get them into the end zone, leaving them down seven with just three minutes to go. The Bears got the ball back, and with 27 seconds to go and on 4th-and-4 Williams threw for quite possibly his most improbable touchdown of the season, running straight backwards, turning around and then lofting a prayer that was answered by Kmet in the end zone to tie things up at 17-17. The Rams got the ball to start overtime but immediately went three-and-out, with Grady Jarrett slowing down Blake Corum enough to allow the Bears to corral him and force the Rams to punt. Unfortunately, the Bears couldn’t take advantage, as their drive came to an abrupt end with Williams throwing his third interception of the game to give the Rams back the ball. The Rams then started moving the ball downfield, with Stafford completing multiple passes, including to Davante Adams to get the Rams across midfield with five minutes remaining in overtime. The Rams then got another first down from Nacua, and Mevis hammered through a field goal to give Los Angeles a 20-17 victory. The Rams will next take on the Seattle Seahawks next Sunday, and the Bears will look to continue building momentum after an NFC North-winning season.