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player ready...Communities in the south and southwest suburbs reported few problems in the wake of the Chicago area’s first significant snowstorm of the season, but were keeping an eye on colder weather expected to hit.
Snowfall totals appeared to have been minimal in the region, but provided enough for winter fun, particularly for those visiting Swallow Cliff Woods in Palos Park.
But more snow is expected to arrive in the area Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
Along with more snow, the Chicago area is expected to be gripped by bitter cold in the early days of the coming week, with daytime highs in the single digits and wind chills well below zero.
In New Lenox, no major incidents were reported as a result of the storm, and public schools remained open although Providence Catholic High School was closed Wednesday as many students travel to the school from outside the community, according to Mayor Tim Baldermann.
The village plowed 135 miles of village streets and used 350 tons of de-icing salt, or 7% of the stockpile on hand, according to Baldermann.
“The salt was effective because it didn’t get too, too cold,” Baldermann said.Homer Glen crews were out Tuesday night and plowed 130 miles of streets, according to Public Works Director Brent Woods.
“It wasn’t great anywhere, but we handled it,” he said Wednesday. “We cleared it and people had safe roads.”
A spokeswoman for Orland Park said that in addition to village public works crews, the village typically employs outside contractors to help clear cul-de-sacs and dead-end streets, and that with little accumulation from Tuesday’s snow they did not encounter any problems in keeping streets clear.
Joshua Burman, assistant director of public works in Homewood, said village streets had been treated with de-icing brine before Tuesday’s storm and no issues were reported.
As colder weather settles in next week, Baldermann said New Lenox has warming shelters available and that public works crews will monitor possible water main breaks.
“We’ll be fully prepared no matter what,” he said.
Orland Park said its primary warming center is the Police Department, at 15100 S. Ravinia Ave., and officials encourage residents to check in on the elderly and neighbors during the colder winter weather.
Burman said public works crews in Homewood will monitor weather for the expected second round of snowfall, and will be ready to respond to any water main breaks.
Blue Island officials said they were preparing for extreme cold and advising residents to seek out warming shelters as needed, including the city’s police station, according to city administrator Thomas Wogan.
Communities advised residents, in advance of below-freezing temperatures, to keep a trickle of water flowing in any waterlines that are not insulated and to open cabinet doors in areas of there homes were there are exposed pipes.
Daily Southtown reporters Alexandra Kukulka and Hank Sanders contributed to this report.