How's your weather?

[cracker]

OH No! we will get a couple more cold nights. The days can be in the 50's for a couple days

 

[tripdad]

;Bored

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Lake Michigan ice as temperatures plunged to -16 deg. F in Chicago, IL on Jan. 6, 2014.
The low temperature on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 could approach -30 deg F in the Chicago suburbs. (Getty Images)

A “Siberian Express” weather disturbance currently crossing the Arctic Ocean will meet up with the semi-permanent winter “polar vortex” over Canada, pushing a record-breaking cold air mass into the Upper Plains and Midwest U.S. by Wednesday.

Chicago All-Time Record Low?
Both the European (ECMWF) and U.S. (GFS) weather forecast models are in agreement that by Wednesday morning temperatures in the Chicago suburbs will be approaching -30 deg. F. The all-time official record low for the Chicago metro area was -27 deg. F (O’Hare) on January 20, 1985, and that 34 year old record could fall as the ECMWF model is forecasting -32 deg. F for Thursday morning while the GFS model is bottoming out at -26 deg. F on Wednesday morning. Of course, these forecasts will change somewhat in the coming days as the cold wave approaches.

Dangerous Wind Chills
Like the record-breaking event of January 1985, the frigid temperatures will be accompanied by strong winds — gusting to 20 to 30 mph — with wind chills plunging to -60 deg. F at times. This is dangerously cold, and I suspect schools will close, water lines will freeze, and travel will be discouraged. Again, this event is still several days away, but the public should be aware of the potential severity of this cold wave.

Not Just Chicago
The GFS forecast temperatures for Wednesday morning shows most of the upper Midwest will be well below zero, and temperatures might not get above -20 deg. F even at midday on Wednesday as far south as northern Indiana. Again, the strong northwest winds will be pushing this air southeast, and Thursday morning will also bring record-breaking cold into the Ohio River Valley.

Forecast temperatures Wednesday morning, January 30, 2019 from the GFS model.
(Graphic courtesy of WeatherBell.com).

 

[Paul B]

Looks like a great spot to go surf fishing.

 

[tripdad]

Ahh, just another wonderful Chicago winter! We're used to it.

 

[Mical]

Balmy here

 

[CubsFan]

Yesterday walking to heavenly. Blue bird days all week here. I’ll be back up there again today. Got to beat the weekend crowd.

 

[Johnike]

-35 wind chill this morning, big snow coming Monday again followed by a couple days of horrendous cold.

 

[67chevellemalibu2]

Yeah, it’s going to be a brutal week in the Chicagoland area and Northwest Indiana.

 

[tripdad]

I recorded -28F on my thermometer last night. Forecast temp for next Monday is 52F. If that happens, comes close it will be around an 80degree temp swing in under a week! Gotta love the upper midwest!

 

[CubsFan]

On the way up the lift my fellow passengers said they wanted to take a picture from up top. I warned them there wasn’t a lot of good photo opportunities. “But every time I look at that ugly lake, it reminds me of me!”

 

[Seawitch]

Uh oh. Snowing here today. How about you?

This was about 7 hours ago. Still snowing. A couple of inches on the ground and a few degrees below freezing.

 

[CubsFan]

We got a little snow. More coming. The view up the hill from my front door. It’s my only door, but you can climb out my bedroom if you can get the window open. Wink, wink ladies. “But I’m a creep. I’m a weirdo...”

 

[CubsFan]

Normally I’d be cheering, but there’s so much snow. So much snow so much snow so much shoveling...

 

[408Dartfish]

Been waiting for the blizzard and got a 1/2inch snow in Oregon lol. Just rainy as usual perfect weather enjoy tank.

 

[CubsFan]

I think it’s been about 8-9 feet this week here. Got a bunch of rain for half a day a couple days ago. It’s like a slip and slide on any slopes for the cars here.