The National Weather Service Chicago office reports an arctic front will arrive Thursday night and usher in a period of dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills late tonight through Friday morning when wind chills will drop to as low as -30° to -40° for some areas in the WNIJ listening area.
Current closure list (1/22/26)
HIGHER EDUCATION
Northern Illinois University: Virtual operations Friday, Jan. 23 until 10 a.m.
Rock Valley College will move to virtual learning and a remote workday on Friday.
Rockford University will be closed. All classes, including evening classes, will transition to virtual learning.
K-12
DeKalb Public Schools will have an E-Learning day on Friday. The DeKalb Education Center will be open to the public by appointment only.
Elgin School District has cancelled all before- and after-school activities and childcare services for Friday. Students will make up this day on Friday, May 1.
Freeport Public Schools will be closed. This will not be an E-Learning day. This day will be made up.
Rock Falls Public Schools will have an E-Learning day on Friday.
Rockford Public Schools will be closed on Friday. All after-school activities will also be cancelled including Y Care. The Administration Building, Sterling Holley, and the Operations Support Center will be open.
Sterling Public Schools will have an E-Learning day on Friday.
Sycamore Public Schools will be closed on Friday.
GOVERNMENT, ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES
The Kishwaukee Family YMCA will remain open on Friday, but Before and After School Care and Preschool programs will not be running. All other YMCA programs and facility hours will operate as normally.
DeKalb, LaSalle, Putnam, & Bureau County Meals on Wheels home deliveries and all Senior Lunch Program sites will be closed on Friday, Jan. 23 to protect the health and safety of participants and volunteers.
The following Senior Lunch Program (congregate meal) locations will be closed on Friday:
DeKalb County Senior Lunch Program Sites
Club 55 – Family Service Agency (Malta)
Sandwich – at Fox Valley Older Adult Services
LaSalle, Putnam & Bureau Counties Senior Lunch Program Sites
Meals on Wheels Main Building 1702 4th St Peru, IL
Ravlin Congregate Center 400 E Washington St Ottawa, IL
Fornof Manor 606 E Morrell St Streator, IL
All congregate meal sites listed above will be closed on Friday, Jan. 23.