Chicago Weather: Bitter cold follows third day of snow
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The snow ended Wednesday, but temperatures will plunge overnight and last through much of the week.
Wind chills could drop to near 20 below zero overnight, according to the National Weather Service, and they could stay that low through Thursday morning.
Light snow fell across most of the area with the south suburbs getting one to two inches. For the most part, it didn't stick but there's still plenty of snow left over from Sunday's blizzard.
CHATHAM RESIDENTS SAY MAIL STOPPED AFTER BLIZZARD
Three days after the blizzard, neighbors in South Chatham have come together to keep their sidewalks clear, but say they've had no mail service all week.
"The community, ourselves, we've been out here shoveling, snow blowing the streets and the sidewalks every day, just to make sure we can get some mail delivered here," said Clarence McNutt, a Chatham resident.
A United States Postal Service spokesperson said the roads were impassable for mail trucks, and to ask letter carriers to carry out their duties while contending with snowy walkways compromised safety.
"We've had taxicabs coming through here, fire department, ambulances. Everybody else is coming through, so what's wrong with the United States Postal Service?" McNutt said.
SNOW BRINGS 'DIBS' TRADITION ACROSS CITY
Meanwhile, the two-foot encasements around street parked vehicles brought out the practitioners of "dibs", the age-old Chicago practice of saving cleared spaces with all manner of household items
"Go look for another one, not mine. Go look for another one," said Javier Arroyo, a "dibs" practitioner.
And for UIC student Brian May - a newbie when it comes to dibs -- getting in on the way it's done in Chicago makes sense, even if it's a practice not enshrined in law.
"Everyone's in the same boat, you know. We gotta all take care of digging out our cars, and it takes time. So, no one wants to go to all that effort just to get it out and not be able to get it back in," May said.
SNOW-PACKED SIDEWALKS, STREETS TEST PATIENCE
The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation crews were deployed back into the neighborhoods to salt, plow and move the snow off the streets once again Wednesday. The city also said about 300 workers from the Department of Transportation and Water will be dispatched on Wednesday to help shovel around schools, parks, bus stops, fire stations, fire hydrants and police stations.
To track the plows in real time, visit www.chicagoshovels.org.
In neighborhoods across the city, wheels are spinning as drivers try to move their cars. Cheri McKee helped get a neighbor's vehicle out of the snow-packed parking spot in Hyde Park.
"He was stuck for like 30 minutes. I said I'm going out to go help him. He said can you drive. I drove while he pushed. I got him right out. The second person I helped got stuck right in front of my building, in a truck," Cheri McKee said.
Dan Charles hasn't touched his car since the blizzard hit. His car is snowed in.
"I walked to my Super Bowl Party on Sunday because I' not driving. And now I'm paying for it because I'm on the corner," Charles said.
The snow is wearing on many residents.
"My wife is pregnant. Due any day. She drives to work every day. We have a two and half-year-old son. I teach on the South Side. Lots of my students had a tough time getting to school. It's a mess. It's a shame that it's still like this," Dave Stieber said.
"Compared to yesterday, it's a whole lot better. It's a lot better than yesterday," Rayshun Clay said.
The city, which has more than 3,000 miles of streets to tackle, will continue to monitor conditions from its snow command center.
"We're going to get all the streets cleared. We ask you be patient. But again, 650 pieces of equipment out at 5 a.m.," said Charles Williams, who works for the Department of Streets and Sanitation.
