A Rare Sight in Chicago

[CtrlAltDel]

No traffic at 5 pm on a non-holiday Wednesday. Behold:

[renegade]

Yeah ... extended sub-zero temps tend to cause that.

[abefroman329]

I don't understand what's different about today and all those days during the winter of 2013-2014 when it was -15, but yeah. Empty trains, empty buses, empty roads.

[CtrlAltDel]

I don't understand what's different about today and all those days during the winter of 2013-2014 when it was -15, but yeah. Empty trains, empty buses, empty roads.

I don't quite get it either. It is about ten degrees colder than last time, though. Maybe that's enough for a change in behavior?

[jakeroot]

I don't understand what's different about today and all those days during the winter of 2013-2014 when it was -15, but yeah. Empty trains, empty buses, empty roads.

I don't quite get it either. It is about ten degrees colder than last time, though. Maybe that's enough for a change in behavior?

I think -25 is enough of a difference for frostbite to set in substantially sooner. Most people probably just want to play it safe instead, I would guess.

It's also possible that, with only a couple of days like this per year, versus a week or two, people can actually take the time off and stay home (like today). Not so much after a week of it. At that point, it's like Fairbanks: better get used to it!

[US71]

I don't understand what's different about today and all those days during the winter of 2013-2014 when it was -15, but yeah. Empty trains, empty buses, empty roads.

I don't quite get it either. It is about ten degrees colder than last time, though. Maybe that's enough for a change in behavior?

I think -25 is enough of a difference for frostbite to set in substantially sooner. Most people probably just want to play it safe instead, I would guess.

It's also possible that, with only a couple of days like this per year, versus a week or two, people can actually take the time off and stay home (like today). Not so much after a week of it. At that point, it's like Fairbanks: better get used to it!

I heard they were having snow quakes in Chicago. WTF is up with that?

[kphoger]

I'm just glad I no longer live in the Chicago suburbs with no car.  Standing on the side of the road for a half-hour to wait for a bus after dark in the January wind is bad enough in normal winter weather!

[jakeroot]

I'm just glad I no longer live in the Chicago suburbs with no car.  Standing on the side of the road for a half-hour to wait for a bus after dark in the January wind is bad enough in normal winter weather!

Doing that yesterday probably would have killed you. Not sure what the ridership has been like for transit in Chicago over the last day or two, but it must be down considerably.

[dcharlie]

I don't understand what's different about today and all those days during the winter of 2013-2014 when it was -15, but yeah. Empty trains, empty buses, empty roads.

I don't quite get it either. It is about ten degrees colder than last time, though. Maybe that's enough for a change in behavior?

It's not the temperature, it's the wind chill which was supposed to be -50 to -60.  I havent been outside since Tuesday.

[abefroman329]

I'm just glad I no longer live in the Chicago suburbs with no car.  Standing on the side of the road for a half-hour to wait for a bus after dark in the January wind is bad enough in normal winter weather!

This morning I stood on the platform for an hour waiting for a Metra train that ultimately never came (had to catch the next one), and it wasn't really that bad.  There was no precipitation, the sun was out, the wind wasn't blowing, and I was adequately dressed for the weather.

[kphoger]

I'm just glad I no longer live in the Chicago suburbs with no car.  Standing on the side of the road for a half-hour to wait for a bus after dark in the January wind is bad enough in normal winter weather!

This morning I stood on the platform for an hour waiting for a Metra train that ultimately never came (had to catch the next one), and it wasn't really that bad.  There was no precipitation, the sun was out, the wind wasn't blowing, and I was adequately dressed for the weather.

No wind makes all the difference in the world, IMO.  Sun makes a big difference too.  Out of curiosity, which Metra station?  I'm curious because you mentioned standing on the platform rather than waiting inside the station.  (I realize, of course, that your platform could have been on the opposite side of the tracks from the station.)

[Mrt90]

I don't understand what's different about today and all those days during the winter of 2013-2014 when it was -15, but yeah. Empty trains, empty buses, empty roads.

I don't quite get it either. It is about ten degrees colder than last time, though. Maybe that's enough for a change in behavior?

I work in Lake Forest, and also know a few people who commute downtown.  Some differences between now and 2014 in addition to what you mentioned about it being ten degrees colder:

1) It is much more common now to be allowed to work from home, just about everyone I know who works downtown can and do work from home frequently now and it wasn't as widespread in 2014. So those people just stayed home even if the company didn't close.
2) A number of companies in Chicagoland made early announcements that they would be closed on Wednesday, which seemed to have resulted in many other companies following suit.  This may be related to the work from home change, since everyone at my company with a laptop was required to work from home during the closure and I assume other companies are the same.  So it's easier to "close" now because so many more people can work from home anyway.
3) As you mentioned, this time was colder than 2014, and it also was known to last for only a couple of days, making it easier to close for a day or 2.  If I remember correctly, the cold spell in 2014 lasted longer and no one was going to close for a week plus it would have been more difficult to pick the one worst day to close. 

[abefroman329]

I'm just glad I no longer live in the Chicago suburbs with no car.  Standing on the side of the road for a half-hour to wait for a bus after dark in the January wind is bad enough in normal winter weather!

This morning I stood on the platform for an hour waiting for a Metra train that ultimately never came (had to catch the next one), and it wasn't really that bad.  There was no precipitation, the sun was out, the wind wasn't blowing, and I was adequately dressed for the weather.

No wind makes all the difference in the world, IMO.  Sun makes a big difference too.  Out of curiosity, which Metra station?  I'm curious because you mentioned standing on the platform rather than waiting inside the station.  (I realize, of course, that your platform could have been on the opposite side of the tracks from the station.)

Rogers Park, which has no station or waiting room. Hindsight being 20/20, I could have taken a downtown train one stop to Ravenswood and waited indoors there, but I had no idea how long the delay would be or if I'd miss my train as it went in the other direction on my way to Ravenswood.

[CtrlAltDel]

Today is a bit more typical:

[abefroman329]

Today is back to normal.  Probably in excess of normal - Friday is usually quiet on the trains and buses since most riders work from home on Fridays, but I think more people came in today after working from home Wednesday and yesterday.

[Brandon]

Today is a bit more typical:

The snow didn't help any.  For some reason, the idiots all act like it's Atlanta or something.  It's Chicago, it's winter, it snows.  Get used to it and learn to drive in it.