Champaign-Urbana community members are bracing for blisteringly cold weather this weekend, with wind chills expected to reach between -15 and -25 degrees Fahrenheit between Friday and noon on Saturday.
The National Weather Service of central Illinois issued a cold weather advisory just before noon Friday, warning several dozen counties in central Illinois to be prepared for dangerous conditions.
“The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 20 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes,” the advisory stated. “Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. Keep pets indoors as much as possible.”
Low wind chills expected over the weekend are part of a potentially “catastrophic ice storm,” which the Associated Press reported could affect millions of Americans from New Mexico to the Carolinas, crushing trees and power lines, knocking out power for days.
The NWS of central Illinois also issued a hazardous weather outlook and a winter storm warning, with expected totals to be within five and nine inches of snow.
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“If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,” the winter storm warning stated. “The latest road conditions for Illinois can be obtained on the Internet at www.gettingaroundillinois.com.”
Some school districts in Champaign County opted to close schools for the day. The University did not cancel classes due to the cold weather, though some professors opted to cancel scheduled meetings or move them online.
Road salt will “not work well, if at all,” due to the low temperatures, according to an X post by Jeffrey Frame, professor in LAS in the Department of Climate, Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences.
On the r/UIUC Subreddit, one poster similarly warned of the worsening conditions. That poster said Toni Gist, professor in ACES, was offering free “hats, gloves, gaiters and a couple coats and snow pants” outside her office in 439 Bevier Hall.
The poster also wrote that “a life was lost on such a cold night 2 years ago at UIUC,” apparently in reference to Akul Dhawan, a freshman University student who died from hypothermia on a freezing night in January 2024. Acute alcohol intoxication and prolonged cold exposure were cited as significant contributing factors in Dhawan’s death.
WCIA reported Thursday that the temperatures expected across much of the country in the coming days may pose significant health risks for those who plan to be outdoors.
“I discourage travel this weekend outside of urban areas,” Frame wrote on X.
