The Blizzard Warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday. Chicago and the suburbs could get anywhere between 10 and 24 inches of snow. The worst of it could be right in Chicago, according to ABC7's Weather Team.
Whiteout conditions are expected Tuesday night. By 9 p.m., thunder snow was impacting Chicago's Loop, with visibility dropping below a quarter of a mile and periodic lightning and thunder. Conditions downtown deteriorated considerably between 7 and 9 p.m., and visibility appeared to continue to grow worse through 9:30 p.m.
Power outages reported across area; Cook County circuit courts closed Wednesday
At 10 p.m. Tuesday, more than 79,000 ComEd customers were without power, with 46,000 of those customers in the City of Chicago.
Officials say there is a substantial power outage on the South Side Tuesday night from Garfield to 71st and Halsted to Western.
Power was reportedly lost in many homes, and street lights and traffic lights were out with visibility reportedly down to about 50 feet.
Because of the severe weather, the Cook County Circuit Courts will be closed Wednesday. No court will be in session in any Cook County courthouse.
The office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court will also be closed.
All cases set for Wednesday, February 2, will be rescheduled.
Vast numbers of schools around the Chicago area will also be closed on Wednesday. Click here for the current list of school closings
Lake Shore Drive closed from Hollywood to 63rd
Authorities began closing roads across northern Illinois and in Chicago Tuesday evening. By about 8 p.m. Tuesday, the city had closed Lake Shore Drive in both directions from Hollywood to 63rd Street.
Many motorists were stuck on Lake Shore Drive Tuesday night, unable to move because of other cars or buses that had spun out or stalled.
Chicago's Office of Emergency Management says that plows are slowly clearing the drive of snow, and will then clear stalled and abandoned cars.
After the vehicles are cleared from the road, the plows will go up and down Lake Shore Drive, clearing it of snow and salting it.
Wind gusts of as much as 30-60 mph could lead waves to freeze over on Lake Shore Drive. A lake shore flood watch is in effect from 6 p.m. until Wednesday afternoon.
The Chicago Fire Department was working on Lake Shore Drive Tuesday night, moving car loads of people into a bus on the drive with the hopes of keeping those stranded motorists warm.
Many suburban roads closed, impassable
At about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Illinois State Police confirmed that Interstate 80 is being closed from Morris to the west, past Ottawa, all the way to Princeton. A total of 60 miles of I-80 were going to be closed, and most was already closed by 8:30 p.m. Authorities were working to get people off the road at that time.
In the far southwest suburbs, the Kendall County Sheriff's Depatment reported that by around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, virtually all roads in unincorporated Kendall County were impassible. Police and emergency vehicles there were unable to navigate or reach motorists stranded in ditches.
Kendall County is reportedly experiencing unprecedented extreme winter weather, and authorities advised that any travel away from shelter could be life-threatening.
In Evanston, the city closed Sheridan Road at 10 p.m. Tuesday from the border with Chicago up to Chicago Avenue due to snow and limited visibility. The Will County Sheriff's Department was also reporting numerous closures.
Further west, I-39 was closed in both directions between US-52 and US-6 Tuesday night. Police were reportedly on the scene.
Trains plan to keep running through blizzard
The Chicago Transit Authority was reporting significant delays on the Blue, Red and Purple lines Tuesday.
Service on the Yellow Line was temporarily suspended at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday due to signal and switch problems at Howard. Use #97 Skokie buses as an alternative to Yellow Line service.
In a press release, the agency said it would dispatch additional sleet trains on those lines not running 24 hours a day to keep them clear of ice and snow, and that it would maintain its usual weekday schedule, but would keep 6- and 8-car trains running to keep the tracks clear as long as possible.
Amtrak said it planned to keep its regular schedule during the blizzard, the release said.
Flights grounded, snow-fighting trucks dispatched
While Chicago's airports remain open, no planes will fly in or out of the airports Tuesday night. The first planes are reportedly not expected to arrive at or depart from Chicago aiports until Wednesday afternoon or evening at the earliest.
Click here to check on the status of flights
The city's full fleet of 274 snow-fighting trucks was dispatched around 2:30 p.m. By 8 p.m., another 120 garbage trucks fitted with plows were expected to be added to combat the expected snow.
"We have trucks already suited that already have plows on them. We're going to work until 3 or 4 p.m. with garbage and then dump those and put on plows," said Department of Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Tom G. Bryne.
Residents are reminded of snow parking restrictions and are asked to push cleared snow into the parkways, not the streets. The CTA wants drivers to make room for buses on the roads and said extra trains will run after the rush hour.
"We've got four diesel engines that are out there to remove the snow. We also have plows on the front of every single train. We've got about 210 sleet devices that are on our trains to spray the ice around the rail. As long as I can keep the trains moving every 15 minutes, we should be able to keep up with the snow being built up on there," said Rich Rodriguez, CTA.
The CTA has already turned on switch heaters to keep ice from building up on the problem area. Extra manpower is available where necessary, according to Rodriguez.
"Every Chicago resident should brace for a storm that will be remembered for a long time," Jose Santiago, executive director of OEMC, said. "We just have to see what Mother Nature throws at us."
The Chicago Fire Department has 50 snowmobiles at fire stations around the city should it be hard to move ambulances throughout the streets. "They learned from New York," said Mayor Richard M. Daley about the recent snowstorm that blanketed the East Coast.
"The city is doing everything we can to respond to the storm and we are as prepared as we can for a storm of this size and scope, which we have never seen before ," Daley said. This storm could be the worse in Daley's career. In 1979, a blizzard ended the political career of Chicago Mayor Michael Bilandic. Despite a cash-strapped city, Daley said Chicago is ready to combat the snow. "You do your best," Daley said.
The University of Chicago and their emergency rooms will be open Wednesday; however, their outpatient clinics will be closed.
Stroger Hospital canceled clinical appointments for Wednesday and ordered extra food and help for Wednesday.
Governor Pat Quinn activated the Illinois National Guard Tuesday. He said more than 500 troops will be available to help stranded motorists on interstates. They will be stationed at rest areas on highways and have supplies like water and snack bars.
Early out for many Chicago workers
Officials are encouraging people to stay inside unless they must go out. Many businesses let employees go home early to beat the blizzard.
"Go home and get out of this. Doesn't make any sense to stay," Andrew Lundberg said.
"I didn't think it was coming to tell you the truth. All the hoopla about this is coming and that is coming, and I'm like, it's not coming," Kim Norman said.
"Today is my first day of work and they are letting me out early tonight," Patricia Hruza said. "Tomorrow will probably be closed, so what a great way to start."
Some people prepared by running out to the grocery store are hardware store for supplies.
"I came in to buy a new phone cord for the landline so that is working properly in case there is an interruption in cell phone service," said Steven Goldberg.
But most Chicagoans seem to be taking the snowstorm in stride.
"I was born and raised in Chicago so the only thing I do is get prepared for the snow. But I'm not afraid. No, not at all," said Cris Sankey, Chicagoan.
"I have school tomorrow, hopefully they'll be smart enough and close it," said Sam Ommen, Chicagoan.
Chicago Public Schools and Chicago City Colleges canceled all classes on Wednesday. It's the first time CPS has had a snow day since 1999.
