CHICAGO (WLS) -- Cold temperatures have moved into the Chicago area Thursday after several inches of snow fell on Wednesday.
There wasn't as much snow as expected, but the concern Thursday is the precipitation on the ground freezing over from the cold temperatures.
ABC7 Chicago meteorologists have issued more AccuWeather Alerts for Friday and Saturday, with more precipitation expected.
Snow showers will start Friday evening. Several hours of snow are expected Friday evening and night, with 2-4 inches expected.
This could affect the evening commute.
Saturday will be a messy day, with temperatures right around freezing throughout much of the afternoon, and there will be a mix of rain snow, potentially some freezing rain, too.
More snow showers are likely Saturday night into Sunday morning, with a couple inches of additional accumulation.
One to two inches are expected Saturday.
In total, by Sunday morning, there could be 2 to 6 inches of snow.
It was the side streets and sidewalks where people ran into some issues Thursday; many spent the early hours digging out.
Residents in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood cleared their cars and sidewalks to head to work after Wednesday's nearly all-day snowfall.
"Which was sort of surprising because our winters have been mild recently," said John Maz, who lives in Belmont Cragin. "But, I'm sort of old, and I remember all the way back to 67 and the snow storms in the 70s, and we had a lot. So, this ain't too bad, and it can be dealt with."
Winthrop Harbor - 6.0
Gurnee- 4.5
Wauconda-5
Valparaiso- 4
Lake Villa- 3.5
Herscher- 3.3
O'Hare- 2.8
Maz was winning the best neighbor award, shoveling his entire street's sidewalk.
"This is my home over here, and I do my neighbors. And sometimes my neighbors do mine; so, we share," Maz said.
Over in the northern suburbs, the Waukegan Public Works Superintendent Alonzo Jennings said they got about 4-5 inches of snow and had the full fleet out treating the roads.
"This morning, what we did was our main roles is the main thoroughfare," Jenkins said. "We get that center curb, put the material down, the salt and the calcium chloride, allow that enough time to break the bond of the ice and the snow. Then, we move over to our side streets. The same thing occurred. Then, we allow that time enough, about an hour or two, that'll break the bond up, go clean. Then, we clear the slush and the snow off the road so that it won't re-freeze, especially with the low temperature that we have."
Jahmal Cole and volunteers with My Block My Hood My City, which tries to meet different community needs, were taking care of South Side seniors.
"Yesterday, we received over 270 requests from elders all around Chicago, from Roseland, South Shore, Chatham, Auburn Gresham, even just Jefferson Park, Lincoln Park. Seniors are the last ones to get helped, the help when the city is overwhelmed by mother nature," Cole said.
He has 45 volunteers spread out Thursday across the city with shovels in hand. But their mission, he says, is greater than simply pushing snow around.
"Every act of activism doesn't have to involve national politics," Cole said. "What's something simple you can do on your block to make a difference? And it can't get any more simpler than shoveling snow for a neighbor, picking up trash or just saying hi to your neighbor. That's how you make Chicago less segregated and more interconnected."
Volunteers can sign up at Formyblock.org .
"I can't do it no more, used to do it. I'm 71, got congestive heart failure," said William Peete, a South Shore resident.
While the city has gotten to most of the side streets, sidewalks are still the responsibility of residents. Arnold Ford is helping his neighbor.
"I try to stay in shape. Shoveling will help that. Oh yeah, as long as it don't work my heart too much," said Ford, also a South Shore resident.
Early Thursday morning, a sedan traveling west in the 2500-block of West Lawrence Avenue lost control and hit two planters, with one of the planters hitting a building and causing glass to break. Two women in the vehicle were transported to hospitals in good and fair condition.
Thursday morning, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation said snow plows and salt spreaders had transitioned to clearing residential side streets.
In the city and the suburbs, public works crews are putting in lots of overtime getting the streets clear.
In Waukegan, it's all hands on deck. And it seems to be working.
"We start from center to curb. Get everything from the center of the way to the curb. Clear path for the motorists," said Alonso Jenkins, with Waukegan Public Works.
Next week, more brutal cold temperatures are expected. High temperatures may stay in the single digits and teens. Some morning lows will be below zero.
CONTINUE READING
There wasn't as much snow as expected, but the concern Thursday is the precipitation on the ground freezing over from the cold temperatures.
ABC7 Chicago meteorologists have issued more AccuWeather Alerts for Friday and Saturday, with more precipitation expected.
Snow showers will start Friday evening. Several hours of snow are expected Friday evening and night, with 2-4 inches expected.
This could affect the evening commute.
Saturday will be a messy day, with temperatures right around freezing throughout much of the afternoon, and there will be a mix of rain snow, potentially some freezing rain, too.
More snow showers are likely Saturday night into Sunday morning, with a couple inches of additional accumulation.
One to two inches are expected Saturday.
In total, by Sunday morning, there could be 2 to 6 inches of snow.
It was the side streets and sidewalks where people ran into some issues Thursday; many spent the early hours digging out.
Residents in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood cleared their cars and sidewalks to head to work after Wednesday's nearly all-day snowfall.
"Which was sort of surprising because our winters have been mild recently," said John Maz, who lives in Belmont Cragin. "But, I'm sort of old, and I remember all the way back to 67 and the snow storms in the 70s, and we had a lot. So, this ain't too bad, and it can be dealt with."
Snow Totals
Winthrop Harbor - 6.0
Gurnee- 4.5
Wauconda-5
Valparaiso- 4
Lake Villa- 3.5
Herscher- 3.3
O'Hare- 2.8
Maz was winning the best neighbor award, shoveling his entire street's sidewalk.
"This is my home over here, and I do my neighbors. And sometimes my neighbors do mine; so, we share," Maz said.
Over in the northern suburbs, the Waukegan Public Works Superintendent Alonzo Jennings said they got about 4-5 inches of snow and had the full fleet out treating the roads.
"This morning, what we did was our main roles is the main thoroughfare," Jenkins said. "We get that center curb, put the material down, the salt and the calcium chloride, allow that enough time to break the bond of the ice and the snow. Then, we move over to our side streets. The same thing occurred. Then, we allow that time enough, about an hour or two, that'll break the bond up, go clean. Then, we clear the slush and the snow off the road so that it won't re-freeze, especially with the low temperature that we have."
Jahmal Cole and volunteers with My Block My Hood My City, which tries to meet different community needs, were taking care of South Side seniors.
"Yesterday, we received over 270 requests from elders all around Chicago, from Roseland, South Shore, Chatham, Auburn Gresham, even just Jefferson Park, Lincoln Park. Seniors are the last ones to get helped, the help when the city is overwhelmed by mother nature," Cole said.
He has 45 volunteers spread out Thursday across the city with shovels in hand. But their mission, he says, is greater than simply pushing snow around.
"Every act of activism doesn't have to involve national politics," Cole said. "What's something simple you can do on your block to make a difference? And it can't get any more simpler than shoveling snow for a neighbor, picking up trash or just saying hi to your neighbor. That's how you make Chicago less segregated and more interconnected."
Volunteers can sign up at Formyblock.org .
"I can't do it no more, used to do it. I'm 71, got congestive heart failure," said William Peete, a South Shore resident.
While the city has gotten to most of the side streets, sidewalks are still the responsibility of residents. Arnold Ford is helping his neighbor.
"I try to stay in shape. Shoveling will help that. Oh yeah, as long as it don't work my heart too much," said Ford, also a South Shore resident.
Early Thursday morning, a sedan traveling west in the 2500-block of West Lawrence Avenue lost control and hit two planters, with one of the planters hitting a building and causing glass to break. Two women in the vehicle were transported to hospitals in good and fair condition.
Thursday morning, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation said snow plows and salt spreaders had transitioned to clearing residential side streets.
In the city and the suburbs, public works crews are putting in lots of overtime getting the streets clear.
In Waukegan, it's all hands on deck. And it seems to be working.
"We start from center to curb. Get everything from the center of the way to the curb. Clear path for the motorists," said Alonso Jenkins, with Waukegan Public Works.
Next week, more brutal cold temperatures are expected. High temperatures may stay in the single digits and teens. Some morning lows will be below zero.
