Arctic Blast In Libertyville: Schools, Library Will Close

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Several Lake County schools have announced closures for Wednesday as extreme cold is expected to hit the area. Most area schools plan to announce tomorrow whether school will open or remain closed on Thursday.

Government offices, libraries and businesses will also close in the coming days.

We’ve included more information below.

District 70

School is canceled on Wednesday for District 70 schools. As anticipated, in concert with many local school systems, the severe cold and dangerous wind chills have resulted in the early determination to cancel school, school officials said.

All Libertyville District 70 schools and associated extracurricular activities, as well as Champions programming, have also been canceled.

“As we look to Thursday, January 31st, superintendents will again convene tomorrow with hopes of a midday decision regarding school planning. We look forward to warmly welcoming students back as early as possible,” according to a note posted on the District 70 website.

District 128

Due to the predicted extreme temperatures and wind chills, Vernon Hills High School, Libertyville High School and the District 128 offices will be closed Wednesday. All activities scheduled for Wednesday, including athletic practices, competitions and Community Education classes are canceled.

“District Administrators will continue to monitor and plan for the continued extreme weather and will make a decision on the status of school for Thursday around midday on Wednesday,” according to a note posted on the District 128 website. “Please watch for updates on our website and social media as the extreme winter weather continues.”

LAKE COUNTY OFFICES

• Lake County Government Offices closed Wednesday, Jan. 30. (Officials will reconvene on Wednesday to evaluate the status of operations for Thursday, Jan. 31)
• 19th Judicial Circuit closed Wednesday, Jan. 30 and Thursday, Jan. 31 (with the exception of Bond Court, which will be conducted at 1:30 pm on Jan. 31).

COOK MEMORIAL LIBRARY will be closed on Wednesday and plans to open at 1 p.m. on Thursday.

The village of Libertyville offered the following advice for the bitter cold: “Please be prepared for these bitterly cold temperatures. Clear fire hydrants and ground level furnace exhaust pipes of snow. Bring your pets inside, check your furnace, carbon monoxide detector and if possible insulate exposed pipes. Dress in layers and limit your time outdoors. Prepare for power outages. Use generators outside only and away from windows. Listen for emergency information and alerts. Watch for signs of hypothermia and frostbite. Check on your neighbors especially the elderly.”

Additional cold weather tips can be found here.

WARMING CENTERS

Consider going to a warming center if you do not have access to heat:

• PADS Lake County provides overnight shelter, food and hospitality for individuals and families with children experiencing homelessness. View the list of shelters.
• Local communities are setting up warming centers at buildings such as libraries township offices. Before going to a center, please call in advance to confirm availability and hours. View a list of warming centers Lake County has compiled.

LAKE COUNTY ROADS

Lake County PASSAGE is your go-to resource for local road information. Visit lakecountypassage.com for a map of current road conditions, and events including crashes, stalls, debris, and other roadway incidents.

From the PASSAGE website, you can access images from the traffic cameras. Looking at the camera images before you leave allows you to see how the weather is impacting the roads. This can help you make decisions about how early to leave and which routes to take.