The Blizzard of 2011: Beyond the Hype

By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 1, 2011 2:17PM

The view outside my apartment at 7:15 a.m. (Chuck Sudo/Chicagoist)

By now, only the truly ignorant are unaware that we're supposed to get a lot of snow. Most of the meteorologists in town are predicting up to two feet of snow between 3 p.m. this afternoon and 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. That's predicted to be coupled with gusting winds of up to 50 MPH, creating possible whiteout conditions we haven't seen in these parts in quite some time. The National Weather Service is calling the coming storm a “dangerous, multifaceted and life-threatening winter storm,” rivaling the Blizzards of 1967, 1979 and 1999.

As we wrote yesterday, Second City Cop suggested that Mayor Daley go "Bilandic" on this snow as a final F-You to residents. But every politician who remembers the Blizzard of '79 learned the lesson that the streets must be kept clean. Daley, with four months left in office, assured people yesterday that the city is ready for whatever is coming.

“We’re gonna do everything possible. Then, again, you go to the private sector with their trucks and things like that [to assist city crews with heavy snow removal]. That’s what you have to look at in this emergency. That’s what you have to do.”

Streets and San crews are out in force trying to clear as many garbage cans as they can in advance of the coming storm. The city has also triggered the 2-inch snow ban on major streets, the first time in three years it's done so.

Down in Springfield, meanwhile, the State Legislature has canceled business for the work week while they ride the storm out like REO Speedwagon. Over at Midway Airport, Southwest Airlines has canceled all flights leaving and arriving Chicago, bringing traffic at the World's Busiest Square Mile to a standstill. O'Hare is also If you are flying out of town or checking the status of a flight, you can always check with the city Department of Aviation to see if it's still scheduled. CTA announced yesterday that they'll be adding extra cars to trains to accommodate passengers for the storm, all trains are operating as scheduled so far. Metra, however, hasn't announced if they'll be adding extra cars to routes for the evening rush.