Chicago Weather: Dangerous cold, lake effect snow

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Subzero temperatures settled over the Chicago area and will stay the week, while lake effect snow fell throughout parts of the city and northern suburbs Sunday.

The night brought more snow and cold to the area, the frost air chilling people on Michigan Avenue to the bone.

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The same low pressure system bringing blizzard conditions to New England has caused frigid temperatures to descend on the Chicago area, along with chances for small amounts of lake effect snow accumulations early in the week.

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That system is expected to dissipate by Tuesday, but will promptly be replaced by another low pressure system and round of freezing temperatures. Highs will struggle to rise above single digits and wind chills will drop temperatures below zero.

With warmer temperatures are not expected until next weekend, people are trying to find ways to stay warm and in many cases, stay indoors.

Ghost-like figures made their way down the street near Clark and Wacker in the lake effect snow that hit hard Sunday morning. This Valentine's Day weekend is also casting a chill over the area with temperature readouts on bank signs showing single digits.

City salt trucks lined up to tackle the winter blast while the skyline near north Lake Shore Drive was so white that you could barely make out buildings in the background.

Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed over 300 snow plows and salt spreaders by Saturday afternoon to main routes and Lake Shore Drive to combat the snow. They also deployed 25 smaller 4x4 plows to clear smaller arterial streets. DSS encouraged motorists to be patient and cautious when driving. To track snow plows in your neighborhood, visit www.chicagoshovels.org.

It was easy to find people inside Sunday, hoping to avoid the snow and bitter cold.

The museum of science and industry made for a great escape.

"It's nice because it's warm in here and it's cold outside so that's definitely nice," said Kaleb Shank while visiting the Museum of Science and Industry.

The Garfield Park Conservatory was also giving people a tropical taste of warmer seasons to come. Marilyn Hugh stopped in to read some Mark Twain and stay toasty.

"It's just a place where you can get spring when it's not spring outside," she said.

NORTHWEST INDIANA DEALS WITH LAKE EFFECT SNOW

Blowing and drifting lake effect snow is also causing real problems on the roads in some parts of Northwest Indiana.

The lake effect snow band dumped several inches on northwest Indiana.

In Chesterton and Porter, people were digging out from under six more inches of snow, which was not what some expected to wake up to.

Semis stuck in the ditch on I-80 eastbound near Rolling Prairie. Strong winds early Sunday morning caused blowing and drifting snow.

In Westville, plows tackled the snow right away and tried to quickly get to the main and side streets.

As residents dig out they are preparing for subzero temperatures returning next week.