Commuters make their way to work as temperatures hovered around zero degrees Fahrenheit during the morning rush in Chicago on Jan. 5, 2015Scott Olson—Getty Images
More frigid weather is expected across the Midwest and into the Northeast on Wednesday, with officials calling on residents to take all necessary precautions.
The National Weather Service warned late Tuesday that blasts of arctic air from the north will bring “bitterly cold weather from the western High Plains to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.” The agency reported that subzero overnight lows were forecast for the Dakotas, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and New England throughout Tuesday evening.
“Wind chill advisories and warnings are in effect for many of these same areas, with some of the coldest wind chill readings in the -25 to -45 degree range” said the agency.
Wind chill warnings were issued this week in at least 17 states across the Great Plains to the East Coast after heavy snowfalls covered the region on Tuesday, snarling traffic and causing the cancelation of hundreds of flights, according to the Weather Channel.
See 11 of the Worst Winter Storms in U.S. History
The Blizzard of 1888 (March 11-12, 1888) This late-in-the-season snowstorm devastated much of the East Coast, incapacitating New York City, Boston, Washington and Philadelphia with up to 50 inches of snow. Here, carts haul excess snow and ice from city streets for dumping in the East River in New York City.Buyenlarge/Getty ImagesThe Knickerbocker Storm (Jan. 27-28, 1922) This snowstorm lasted for two days and a accumulated a regional record of 28-inches of snow. And it got its name after the famous Knickerbocker Theater, whose roof collapsed under the weight of the snow, with Washingtonians still inside watching a film. The disaster claimed 98 lives and is still one of Washington's deadliest snow storms. Buyenlarge/Getty ImagesThe Great Midwest Blizzard (Jan. 26-27, 1967) This blizzard raged from the Ohio Valley down to New Mexico. It still holds Chicago's record for heaviest snow fall in 24 hours (23 inches) and resulted in the deaths of 76 people. Robert Abbott Sengstacke—Getty ImagesThe Post Christmas Storm of 1969 (Dec. 25-28, 1969) Up to 2-3 feet of snow accumulated in New England and upstate New York. Here, kids skate while their dog plays on the snow-covered ground at Argyle Pond in Babylon, New York, Dec. 25, 1969. Gordon Rynders—New York Daily News Archive/Getty ImagesThe Blizzard of 1978 (Feb. 5-7 1978) Hurricane-force winds, up to 90mph, and snow totals of up to 3 feet defined this blizzard. Here, Roy Sodersjerna of Higham, Mass. suns himself on the hood of his car, which is stuck in the snow on Massachusetts Route 128 in Dedham, Mass. on Feb. 9, 1978.APThe Superstorm of 1993 (March 12-13, 1993) This storm caused nearly 300 deaths, with New York state recording over 40 inches of snow. Paul Hurschmann—APThe Blizzard of 1996 (Jan. 6-9, 1996) The mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions received 2-3 feet of snow, with Philadelphia accumulating 30.7 inches - its highest snowfall record to date. Susan Watts—New York Daily News Archive/Getty ImagesThe Blizzard of 2005 (Jan. 20-24, 2005) Snowfall blanketed the Northeast, with areas around Boston reporting 3-5 inches of snowfall per hour and totalling 43 inches. Here, Sam Germaine walks past the frozen entrance to his home in Hull, Mass. on Jan. 25, 2005. STEVEN SENNE—APThe Post-Christmas Storm of 2010 (Dec. 25-28, 2010) New York City received over 20 inches of snowfall. Here, a man digs out his car in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City on Dec. 27, 2010.Chris McGrath—Getty ImagesThe Groundhog Day Blizzard (Feb. 1-2, 2011) Many cities throughout the midwest and Northeast received 1-2 feet of snow and some even declared states of emergency. Here, University of Iowa student Andrew Uhe uses a cookie sheet to sled down the hill behind Lincoln Elementary School in Iowa City on Feb. 2, 2011.Chip Somodevilla—Getty ImagesBlizzard in Buffalo (Nov. 18-20, 2014) Over six feet of snow descended on Buffalo, N.Y. and its suburbs, paralyzing the area. Over 100 people were stranded and at least six people died. Derek Gee—The Buffalo News/AP
In Chicago, authorities announced the closure of public schools throughout the city on Wednesday as temperatures are expected to fall below zero with wind chills up to 40 below.
In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio called on New Yorkers to be mindful of their neighbors and begin preparing for the winter storm.
“The city will deploy all tools at its disposal to reach our most vulnerable populations — the elderly, people with medical challenges, the homeless — but we ask our fellow New Yorkers to help,” said the mayor in a statement.
Temperatures are expected to drop to 9 degrees in New York City on Wednesday night, with wind chill values averaging between zero and -15 degrees.
Further north in the Great Lakes region, more snow is expected to blanket much of the same area that was hard hit by the record snowfall in late November that killed at least 13 people.
“The heaviest snow is likely to occur east of Lakes Erie and Ontario, where local amounts will easily exceed one foot,” read a report released by the National Weather Service.
