Super cold Sunday could set record low max

An arctic front passed through Chicago Saturday morning setting the mercury on a downhill run that could end up rewriting a Feb. 4 record low max of 0° that has been on the books since 1918. Saturday’s temps peaked during the morning in the 10-15º range then fell steadily, dropping below zero by evening. The arctic air mass, one of the coldest in more than a decade, could keep readings here in negative territory at least until Monday afternoon and possibly until midday Tuesday. The city’s last encounter with subzero highs was 11 years ago (Feb. 2 and 3, 1996) with back-to-back highs of -5º. Exacerbating the cold will be biting west winds that will send wind chills tumbling to dangerous levels as low as -35º. While the arctic blast in Chicago was accompanied by only brief flurries, total whiteout blizzard conditions were the rule in western Michigan Saturday where new snowfall totaled from 5-10 inches. --By Steve Kahn, WGN Weather Center Meteorologist