First big cold snap of the season, with wind temperatures dropping to almost 0 degrees

Winter has unofficially arrived in Chicago, as strong winds will hit the area Wednesday evening and frigid temperatures will make it feel like it’s near 0 degrees across much of the area.

A wind advisory was in effect in Chicago until midnight Wednesday, with gusts exceeding 45 miles per hour.

The National Weather Service said wind gusts were consistently in the 50 to 60 mph range in the city and suburbs Wednesday evening, with gusts peaking at 58 mph at Midway Airport.

Although winds were expected to ease somewhat Thursday morning, “it will be windy and very cold when people wake up,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Casey Sullivan.

Combined with wind chill, temperatures Thursday morning could feel like 0 to 5 degrees in Chicago and minus 5 to minus 10 degrees in the suburbs, Sullivan said.

The cold snap has resulted in one death in Cook County. A 77-year-old man died of hypothermia about 10 a.m. Tuesday in East Garfield Park, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, which ruled his death an accident.

As of 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, at least 215 flights were delayed at O’Hare Airport and 29 flights were delayed at Midway Airport. Five flights at O’Hare and one flight at Midway were canceled.

Some snow flurries were forecast across the region Wednesday night, but no significant precipitation was expected for the rest of the week.

“It’s going to be pretty cool here at the end of the week, and then we start to warm up this weekend – 40 degrees on Saturday, maybe 50 degrees on Sunday,” Sullivan said.

City officials have made more than 190 facilities available for anyone to visit to stay warm. These include the city’s five Warming centerswhich open when the temperature falls below 32 degrees. The warming centers are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m

The following warming centers are open Thursdays and Fridays:

• Englewood Community Service Center, 1140 W. 79th St.
• Garfield Community Service Center, 10 S. Kedzie Ave.
• Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center, 4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
• North Area Community Service Center, 845 W. Wilson Ave.
• South Chicago Community Service Center, 8650 S. Commercial Ave.
• Trina Davila Community Service Center, 4312 W. North Ave.
• Chicago Public Library locations, excluding Bucktown/Wicker Park and Water Works locations
• Chicago Park District locations
• Chicago Police Districts