Brandon Weatherz: Bitter cold arrives this weekend

Our Friday begins with widespread snow and a slick morning commute. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the North Shore of Cook County until 10 am. Snow is pushed east ahead of a cold front through the morning. Behind the front, a gusty northwest wind sustained at 15-25 mph kicks in. This leads to patchy blowing snow for the rest of the day, and ushers in the arrival of the cold air we’ve been talking about all week.

Temperatures begin in the double digits and top off in mid-teens to low 20s in the mid-morning. Lows tonight range from teens below zero looking northwest to single digits above along the South Shore. Saturday is cool with highs staying in the single digits. Saturday night is when widespread lows fall into minus double digits. This will be the beginning of a stretch of dangerously cold wind chills that generally continues through Sunday, Monday, and into Tuesday. Limit time outside, limit exposed skin, and keep pets indoors. It will be a frigid John Beargrease Dogsled Marathon.

Today: Chance of snow before 9 am, then mostly cloudy and windy with patchy blowing snow. High 18. W wind 15-25 mph. Chance of snow: 60%.
Tonight: Partly cloudy and blustery. Low -5. WNW wind 10-15 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny and cold. High 5. NW wind 5-10 mph.
Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy. Low -15. W wind 5-10 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High 1. W wind 5-15 mph.
Sunday night: Partly cloudy. Low -17. W 5-10 mph.
Monday: Mostly sunny. Cold and blustery. High -1. W wind 10-15 mph.
Monday night: Partly cloudy. Low -15. W wind 5-10 mph.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy. High 7. SW wind 10-15 mph.
Tuesday night: Partly cloudy. Low -5. W wind 5-10 mph.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High 3. NW wind 5-15 mph.
Wednesday night: Partly cloudy. Low -13. W wind 5-10 mph.
Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 5. W wind 5-10 mph.