A cold weather advisory has been issued across the Chicago area as an Arctic blast soon moves into the region, bringing dangerous wind chills that could pose a threat for some.
The alert was issued for McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy, Kankakee, Cook and Will counties in Illinois, along with Lake, Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana.
It begins at 8 p.m. CST Saturday and continues through noon Sunday.
During that window, wind chills as low as -20 to -25 degrees are expected.
“The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 25 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes,” the alert states.
The National Weather Service urged residents to use caution while traveling outside and to wear appropriate clothing, a hat and gloves.
Temperatures are set to begin dropping Friday afternoon, first into the 20s around 4 p.m., then into the teens overnight and into the single digits by Saturday morning. Wind chills could get as low as -10.
The cold could also be met with another round of snow, with counties to the south and southwest potentially seeing between one and two inches. A winter weather advisory is also in effect from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday in LaSalle County.
Overnight into Sunday, things will get even colder, NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.
“Saturday night into early Sunday morning is where we really see that drop,” Roman said. At that time, wind chills as low as -30 are possible.
“The entire area will see that range,” Roman said, “between -15 and -30.”
The weather will make for a cold Bears vs. Browns game at Soldier Field, with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m.
But there’s some good news, too: Temperatures will warm after the bitter cold, with highs jumping back up into the 30s and even 40s as Christmas approaches.
