Photos: Ice covers the Chicago River and Metra tracks are on fire

Here’s what the city looks like in extreme cold

By Sara Freund Jan 30, 2019, 1:51pm CST

Steam rises above the Chicago River as temperatures dropped to 22 below zero on January 30, 2019.

This week Chicago is experiencing temperatures that give the name Chiberia some truth.

While technically yes, it is colder in Chicago than it is in Antarctica, weather nerds are not impressed. The continent is in the middle of its summer, and the Arctic air here can bring some of the lowest temperatures of winter, so it’s not a fair comparison.

The cold weather has slowed down parts of the city—some folks get to work from home and stay indoors. Even postal workers in Illinois get a rare break from delivering mail. However, there are people hustling across the Chicago at transit agencies, city organizations, hospitals, and police stations making sure residents stay safe and warm.

The extreme weather has affected Chicago in ways that most residents probably haven’t seen in a long while. This morning a layer of ice covered the North Branch of the Chicago River, commuters wore ski masks, and flaming gas-fired Metra rail heaters were switched on.