Updates on the storm, travel, closures

With snow falling and temperatures dropping drastically, Chicago steeled itself against winter’s first major blast Thursday, as a storm affecting much of the country disrupted travel, upended holiday planning and even shuttered the city’s much-loved Christkindlmarket for the season.

Temperatures were plummeting into the evening, moving into single-digit territory. They were expected to reach zero degrees and maybe even several degrees colder overnight, according to meteorologist Scott Baker with the National Weather Service of Chicago.

Many city streets were caked with snow as the sun set and city crews tried to keep up. Still, many residents ventured out for last-minute Christmas purchases.

Carlos García was among those who headed to markets in city neighborhoods to get groceries for holiday dinners, trying to wrap up his effort before his son got out of school. García said he waited to find parking at the Morelia supermarket in Belmont Cragin for a few minutes but opted to go across the street to another store as it was filling up.

García said he then had to rush home to make sure his wife didn’t walk to pick up their son. Residential streets were quickly covered in snow throughout the neighborhood.

“We’re used to this in Chicago,” he said.

But experts said the intense storm settling over the city as it moved across several states would pack an above-average punch.

“Dangerously cold” wind chills will reach 30 to 40 degrees below zero across the entire Chicago area by Thursday night into Friday morning, Baker said. Winds of up to 45 and 50 mph will blow the fine, fluffy snow, reducing visibility considerably, creating near-whiteout conditions at times, according to meteorologist Kevin Doom.

As of 3:30 p.m., 544 flights scheduled for Thursday had been canceled at O’Hare International Airport, and 255 had been canceled at Midway, according to the website FlightAware.

[ Snowstorm and blizzard-like conditions will affect travel in and out of Chicagoland ahead of Christmas, officials warn ]

Airlines had also already canceled dozens of flights scheduled for Friday out of the two Chicago airports. The weather forecast prompted Amtrak to make changes to its schedules including Christmas Day travel. For a complete list of changes, please visit Amtrak.com.

Thursday’s Metra service appeared steady as of this morning, but a few modifications were posted for Friday’s service. Metra asked commuters to monitor weather conditions before making plans.

[ Extreme cold, snow and a Chicago Bears game: What to know about the weather this week ]

The Chicago Transit Authority began rerouting buses off DuSable Lake Shore Drive this afternoon because of the conditions of the road.

Twelve routes had been rerouted as of 4 p.m., including the Hyde Park, Jackson Park and South Shore express buses; the Jeffery Jump, and several express buses between downtown and the North Side.

In the meantime, in preparation for the storm, Chicagoans rushed to liquor stores, dispensaries, home improvement shops and grocery stores to stock up on necessities and more.

“We’ve seen incredibly strong demand from the second the news broke about the weather,” said Jason Erkes, a spokesperson for Sunnyside, which has 10 cannabis dispensaries across Illinois. “A lot of people see cannabis as a staple — bread, milk, water in case your pipes freeze and a good vape and some edibles.”

[ ‘It’s unfortunately the perfect storm’: Threat of a very snowy Christmas sends Chicagoans grocery shopping early ]

Sunnyside dispensaries are seeing extended wait times of over an hour and lines rivaled only by those seen during big events like Lollapalooza, Erkes said. When recreational sales started in Illinois in 2020, wait times did exceed those seen now as lines snaked around blocks.

The dispensaries are advising customers to place orders online as they seek to optimize operations. “We’re doing our best to get people through the line as quickly as possible,” Erkes said. “And at best, give them as much space to wait inside the store as we can.”

“I can’t think of a better product to have around the house when you’re locked down with relatives over the holiday because of the weather,” Erkes added.

Liquor stores have seen an increase in business in addition to the normal seasonal increase in store purchases for gifts and celebrations, said Binny’s Beverage Depot director of communications Greg Versch. “We’re seeing increases over that … as people are stocking up,” he said.

“We have seen a jump in business,” Versch added. “It parallels what you see in grocery stores, only instead of toilet paper and milk, it is bourbon and Chardonnay.” Binny’s will close Christmas Day but will remain open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Versch said.

[ What is a polar vortex? How often does the weather phenomenon happen here? Experts explain. ]

In Belmont Cragin, the grocery stores were packed.

As the snowfall began, right after noon, the parking lot of Tony’s on Central Park began to fill. The parking lot was saturated and no shopping carts were left as people scrambled to buy what they could before the storm hit its peak and children got out of school.

Maria Martinez said she wanted to make sure she had at least some bread and milk in case it becomes dangerous for her and her husband to go outside the following days.

But prices are high and she can only buy so much, she said.

“Esta bien caro todo,” Martínez said. “Everything is so expensive.”

Another woman loaded her laundry cart with toilet paper and other basic necessities and pushed it through snow on the sidewalk. An older gentleman rushed to the bus shelter carrying several grocery bags.

Earlier in the day, the streets of downtown Chicago appeared business as usual, as people bundled in their hats and parkas holding grocery bags or taking their dogs for walks before the temperature drop. Some decided to take a jog.

West Loop resident John Stolken isn’t too worried about the weather. As a local, he said he’s seen winter storms before and thinks it will look similar this time around.

He grabbed breakfast this morning and browsed Nordstrom, with plans to stay in for the day. With most of his family living in the suburbs, the weather didn’t affect his holiday plans too much except for a dinner planned for tonight that was canceled.

”Hopefully it’s not going to be as bad as they say it is,” he said.

Lori Atkinson said she and her family of five drove out two hours from northern Indiana, hitting little traffic on their way to the city. They brought out their kids for some sightseeing before staying indoors for the rest of the day.

They came to Chicago to see “The Lion King” tomorrow evening and don’t expect to change that plan. In the meantime, they’re going to let the kids have some fun around Magnificent Mile and the Harry Potter exhibit at Water Tower Place.

”We were just saying, it’s really pretty out,” she said.

Several Chicago area school districts announced closures Thursday in preparation for extreme weather. While classes were in session for Chicago Public School students, all after-school, aftercare, and out-of-school-time programming have been canceled for Thursday.

”The district understands that the weather conditions may make it difficult for some families to get their children safely to and from school. Many of our students count on their schools for more than education. They rely on the district for meals, warmth, and adult supervision while parents and guardians are at work, and we’re glad that we will be able to provide that for our children today as this first storm of the season reaches Chicago,” CPS said in a statement.

The school district ensured parents that walkways and parking lots would be cleared as quickly as possible for student safety.

Friday was already a scheduled nonattendance day for CPS students.

As the snow began falling in the Fox Valley Thursday, Aurora city officials urged residents to be careful as the storm unfolds with snow, high winds and below-zero temperatures.

“Be ready,” Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin said during a news conference about the weather Thursday morning. “Be prepared. Be extra cautious. Be of assistance. Be safe. While we’ve faced storms that have brought more snow than is expected today, we will face a severely dangerous environment when the snow is coupled with the high winds and frigid below-zero temperatures.”

[ Aurora officials advise residents to be careful as winter storm unfolds ]

The city of Evanston is opening its parking garages for free to residents from Thursday through Monday.

Garages will open at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and vehicles can remain parked until Monday. Vehicles cannot be left in the garage beyond that without payment. Surface lot parking is also available on over a dozen lots in the city and can be purchased on the city’s website.

[ City of Evanston to open garages for free for winter storm parking ]

In Lake County, health professionals warned of the dangers of frost bite.

Dr. Ninad Dixit, the chief medical officer for Vista Health System in Waukegan, said frostbite and hypothermia can happen very quickly if skin is exposed in extreme cold like the temperatures forecast the next few days.

“If you are out in the cold, self-care could include a warm soak and anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen in recommended dose,” Dixit said in the email. “Don’t use direct heat on the skin. Seek immediate medical attention if there is no improvement.”

[ Lake County officials urge residents to take precautions in face of ‘triple-threat storm’ ]

In response to the snowstorm, the Chicago Park District will open park field house locations as warming centers during regular operating hours Thursday and Friday. Holiday hours will begin Saturday and can be found online.

Additionally, the Park District warned runners and pedestrians to steer clear of the 18-mile Lakefront Trail since some areas will be hit by high wave activity that will cause dangerous conditions. Crews will barricade access to some of these areas Thursday evening through Saturday.

The Lakefront Trail was closed from Oak Street to Ohio Street, and access from the Chicago Avenue underpass will not be available until further notice. Crews will clear and open closed-off areas as early as Tuesday and Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Salvation Army Freedom Center, 825 N. Christiana Ave., and Mayfair Community Center, 5020 N. Pulaski Rd., will operate as warming centers Thursday, Friday and Saturday for residents needing a safe place to shelter during the storm, the Salvation Army said in a news release.

While Cook County courthouses will be closed for most legal business, three courthouse buildings are being opened as warming centers. Those who lack adequate heat can take shelter there starting 5 p.m. Thursday through 8 a.m. Monday.The available locations are:

• Skokie Courthouse: 5600 Old Orchard Road
• Maywood Courthouse: 1500 Maybrook Drive
• Markham Courthouse: 16501 S. Kedzie Ave.

Chicago is also operating warming centers throughout the city. Residents can dial 311 for the location of their nearest warming center.

Some of Chicago’s popular holiday traditions will be closing early due to the expected blizzard-like conditions and extreme cold:

• Adler Planetarium: Closed Friday through Sunday.
• American Blues Theater: Ended its run of “It’s A Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!” Shows for today and Friday are canceled.
• Art Institute Chicago: Closes today at 5 p.m.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: Closed Friday through Sunday. Lightscape is canceled today and Friday. Ticket holders will be contacted by email with more information.
• Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier: Closed Friday and Saturday.
• Chicago History Museum: Closed at 3 p.m. today. Closed Friday through Sunday.
• Chicago Transit Authority’s Holiday Bus: Last two runs on #29 State and #J14 Jeffrey Jump — scheduled for today and Friday — are canceled.
• Christkindlmarket: The Daley Plaza and Aurora locations close at 4 p.m. today and will not reopen again this season. The Wrigleyville location is closed today through Sunday, but reopens at 11 a.m., Dec. 26.
• Courthouses: Most Cook County courthouse activities will cease on Friday, with the exception of adult bail hearings at the Leighton Criminal Court Building and juvenile detention hearings. The circuit court clerk’s office will also be closed. The Lake County courthouse in Waukegan closed at noon Thursday and was to remain inactive Friday other than remote bond court at 9 a.m. However, the Skokie, Markham and Maywood courthouses are open through Monday morning as warming centers.
• Field Museum: Closes at 2 p.m. today and remains closed Friday. Shortened hours Saturday. Closed Sunday.
• Lakefront Trail: The Park District’s Lakefront Trail has been closed from Oak Street to Ohio Street, and access from the Chicago Avenue underpass will not be available until further notice. Other areas hit by high waves could also be cordoned off by the Park District in the coming days.
• Lincoln Park Zoo: Closed Friday and ZooLights canceled until Saturday.
• McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park: Closed Friday and Saturday.
• Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating Ribbon: Closed Friday.
• Morton Arboretum: Illumination canceled tonight.
• Shedd Aquarium: Closed at 2 p.m. today. Closed Friday and Saturday.
• Winterland at Gallagher Way: Closed today through Sunday. Reopens Dec. 26.