SOUTH LOOP — The Bears are taking precautions to keep fans warm as dangerously cold temperatures — and the possibility of snow — set in ahead of Sunday’s playoff game at Soldier Field.
Sunday night’s forecast calls for a low temperature between 6 and negative 2 degrees, with wind chills as low as negative 25 expected, according to the National Weather Service. Snow is also in the forecast for Sunday afternoon through evening, with as much as 2 inches of “fluffy” snow expected between 4-6 p.m. in Chicago, the weather service states.
High winds will also be in effect Sunday, with a gale warning issued for the lakefront from midnight til 9 a.m. Monday, according to the weather service.
The forecast coincides with the Bears’ hosting a divisional-round playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Soldier Field. The Bears on Friday said it was working with the Chicago Park District, Soldier Field’s owner, to implement “enhanced game day measures” to address the anticipated “frigid weather conditions” during Sunday’s game.
Those measures include:
- Warming centers will be located behind Section 146, on the service level in the southwest tunnel, on the colonnade level above Gate 31 and on the south side of the colonnades.
- Hot chocolate, coffee and chili will be available throughout the stadium.
- Battery powered self-warming clothing will be permitted, though wearers may be subject to additional security screening.
- Fans will not be allowed to bring in cardboard to sit on.
- Blankets will be permitted.
- Hand warmers will be available to purchase at any pro shop locations in the stadium.
The bitter cold is expected to last through Tuesday morning. A cold weather advisory has been issued for 3-10 a.m. Monday, according to the weather service.
Monday could see a high of 11 degrees and a low of minus 3 degrees. Wind chill, or real-feel temperatures, could be as low as minus 25 degrees Monday morning, according to the weather service.
Temperatures are expected to moderate by Wednesday, which could reach 33 degrees.
Here’s everything you need to know to prepare for and stay safe in the extreme cold.
How To Dress
- Dress in layers.
- Don’t leave your skin exposed to the cold.
- Remove wet clothing.
During periods of extreme cold, officials have advised Chicagoans to cover up and stay inside as much as possible. Frostbite can develop on exposed skin in just a few minutes during deep cold.
The National Weather Service has advised people who do go outside during cold snaps to dress in layers. During 2019’s polar vortex — when it felt as cold as 50 below zero at times — the weather agency suggested Chicagoans wear a warm hat, a face mask, three or more layers of upper-body clothing (including one insulating layer), gloves, waterproof boots and two or more layers of lower-body clothing.
People should remove clothing that becomes wet if they’ve been exposed to cold, officials have said.
And families should limit the time they have children outside, officials have said.
How To Protect Your Pets From Cold
- Keep your pet inside.
- Use booties to protect their paws.
Got a pet? If you have to take them outside, remember to put booties over their feet so their pads aren’t hurt by salt or the chemicals used to melt ice on the sidewalks and roads, according to the ASPCA. Rubbing petroleum jelly on their pads before going outside also offers some protection.
Officials have also urged people to bring pets indoors during past periods of extreme cold. If you feed cats that live outside, you can make them a shelter using a few supplies from the hardware store by following these guidelines.
Chicago Heat Ordinance
- Requirements vary.
- Call 311 if you have an issue.
Landlords are required to supply heat to units during the winter under the Chicago Heat Ordinance.
People who live in a residential building with shared heating should have their heat be at least 68 degrees 8:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. and at least 66 degrees 10:30 p.m.-8:30 a.m. People who live in a building where units have individual heating equipment should have equipment that is able to keep their unit at at least 68 degrees.
Landlords who don’t follow the ordinance can be fined $500-$1,000 per violation per day, and “system malfunctions is not an excuse,” former buildings Commissioner Matt Beaudet said in 2022. Tenants should immediately call 311 if their landlord doesn’t provide adequate heat, he said.
Read more about the ordinance here.
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