With frigid temperatures sweeping into the region, Chicagoans are being asked to take precautions and make alternate plans as the brutal cold closes area schools and sinks plans for a weekend polar plunge.
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold warning from 3 a.m. Friday until noon for central Cook County, including Chicago, Cicero, Oak Park, Oak Lawn and La Grange. Weather officials warned residents ahead of the cold stretch to expect dangerously cold wind chills as low as 30 to 35 degrees below zero.
A cold weather advisory is also in effect starting midday Friday, with wind chills between minus 15 to minus 30 degrees possible through Saturday morning, per the weather service. Forecasts called for a high of around 1 degree Friday, with gusts as fast as 30 miles per hour. By Saturday, weather officials say there’s a 50% chance of snow, primarily in the afternoon.
A collapsing polar vortex brings Arctic blast to Chicago area. How long will it last?
The bitter temperatures are the result of a “collapsing” polar vortex, bringing a bout of frigid air from Siberia and the North Pole to the Great Lakes region. And while the multiday stretch of subzero conditions is nowhere near Jan. 20, 1985, when Chicago experienced its coldest day on record — minus 27 degrees and a wind chill of minus 57 — schools, organizations and agencies across the area are taking precautions to keep everyone safe as temperatures plummet.
Closures
From Chicago to the suburbs, closures have mounted amid the dangerous cold.
Chicago Public Schools canceled classes and after-school activities on Friday, with no remote learning and CPS buildings closing to the public. Schools are expected to reopen on Monday, according to district officials.
Several Chicago and suburban private schools also announced that they would be closed Friday or shift to remote learning. The 151 Catholic schools run by the Archdiocese of Chicago typically post updates on their individual websites.
In the suburbs, districts across Naperville, Aurora, Glenview, Park Ridge, Niles, Northbrook, Skokie, Evanston, Lake Forest and Winnetka have made similar moves to cancel for the day or go online, including Elgin-based School District U-46, the state’s second-largest school district.
College of DuPage’s main campus and centers will be closed and operate virtually Friday, the Glen Ellyn school announced on social media.
Cook County Circuit Court also announced it would be closed on Friday, with its pretrial division operating first-appearance hearings on a weekend and holiday schedule and juvenile hearings scheduled for initial appearances or detention hearings switching to remote court.
Kane County courthouses will be closed on Friday as well, and all court proceedings will be moved online.
Too cold for polar bears, too frosty for a fest
Organizers of a small annual polar plunge off Lake Shore Drive announced Thursday that their 2026 event set for Saturday would be canceled due to safety concerns.
“This was not a decision made lightly,” organizers said.
Since 2003, the Chicago Polar Bear Club has hosted an annual “plunge,” which sees participants take a dip in Lake Michigan each January, to raise money for local families in need. However, with the arctic blast hitting the city, organizers said it would be “irresponsible to go ahead” with the event this year, adding “the safety of our Polar Bears has to be our highest priority.”
While the plunge itself will not be taking place, the event’s planned after-party at HQ Barcade in River North will still be moving forward, organizers said.
“We are a community,” they said, “and that is what makes this event so special.”
In Aurora, the west suburban city’s annual Frosty Fest, originally planned for Saturday, was likewise called off.
“We’re really disappointed that it was too frosty for Frosty Fest this year,” Christy Graser, facility manager for Fox Valley Park District’s Red Oak Nature Center, said.
Staying warm
As subzero temps set in, Chicago officials are urging residents to stay inside, keep pets indoors, wear extra layers and check on older loved ones and neighbors.
Warming centers will be available citywide through Friday, the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications said in a news release. Warming center hours and locations can be found at http://bit.ly/4a8T3qD or by calling 311.
The city’s Garfield Community Service Center at 10 S. Kedzie Ave. was set to stay open overnight Thursday until 8 p.m. Friday, per OEMC. The Garfield center will also be open as a warming center from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Chicago Public Library and Chicago Park District locations will be open as spots to stay warm during operating hours, and Chicago police districts are open 24 hours.
Elsewhere in Cook County, anyone looking for a place to thaw can flock to Skokie, Maywood or Markham courthouses.
Across north and central Illinois, Salvation Army Corps Community Centers and 360 Life Centers will also be operating as warming centers.
A large storm system is expected to impact the central and eastern US this weekend. The potential for accumulating snow and associated travel impacts to reach northern IL and northwest IN continues to increase, though uncertainty remains. Stay tuned for updates! #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/q2DC4UlRpT
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 22, 2026
“At the heart of this work is a belief that no one should be left alone or exposed to danger simply because they lack resources, stability, or a safe place to go,” the Salvation Army North and Central Illinois Division said in a news release.
OEMC advised motorists to winterize their vehicles and have necessary supplies stored should they brave the cold. The office also cautioned against unnecessary trips outside but advised that if people must go out, to limit their cold exposure.
The Illinois Tollway will have around-the-clock patrols through Monday to quickly locate and help drivers needing roadside assistance. Drivers with mechanical problems or who are stranded along the tollway during the upcoming dangerously cold weather should immediately dial 999 for roadside assistance and remain inside their vehicles until help arrives, tollway officials said in a news release.