If you were lucky enough to live literally anywhere else besides Chicago on the last week of January, you've probably heard some buzz in the news about these crazy few days. While the majority of Chicagoans decided to hibernate indoors with heat & blankets, some chose to face the blistering cold because "a little ice won't hurt." Though it's funny to look back at that horrendous week and laugh about the frost inside the windows and the emptiness of the streets, let's hope and pray Mother Nature never curses us the way she did on January 30th, 2019. Naive West-coasters may ask, "What was so bad about a little snow and sleet this winter? Aren't you guys used to it by now?" First of all Becky, you will never get used to it. Second of all, here's "what was so bad."
1. Chicago was colder than parts of Antarctica, Alaska, and the North Pole
Santa is SHOOK!
2. Twelve homeless people were reported to have died of hypothermia
*Visit this link for more information on how to help the homeless community in Chicago this winter.
3. Workers literally set fire to the Metra train tracks to keep the switches from freezing over
I mean, you gotta do what you gotta do.
4. The whole city shut down - schools, businesses, stores, restaurants, delivery services, etc. were all closed
Thank GOODNESS for UberEats ♡
5. Residents were told not to take a deep inhale while outdoors because your "lungs could freeze"
Oh. Okay, cool.
6. Uber & Lyft prices were insanely high, reaching up to $90 for a solo economy ride
Um yeah, I'd rather walk at this point.
8. There were apparent "frost quakes" happening around the city
For a better explanation of this mysterious term, click here to read more.
9. Thousands of flights were cancelled due to the polar vortex
You were stuck - no one in, no one out.
10. However, the city came together in this time of need
Homeless shelters added up to 500 extra beds, extended their hours, and offered free Uber and Lyft rides to those who needed to reach a safe space quickly. Five CTA buses were traveling throughout the city to provide warm drinks, a heated place, and necessary winter gear to families who may not want to stay in shelters overnight. Volunteers shoveled sidewalks so that commuters could get to where they needed to go. New York City transit workers were reported to have sent dozens of pizzas to fellow Chicago transit workers for braving the extreme cold. As Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, "This is a historic cold, but Chicagoans are historically strong."
