It is cold. Not just "I should wear a sweater" cold, but the kind of Naperville winter morning where your car groans and the air feels like it’s actively trying to steal your body heat. If you're looking at the weather for naperville today, you’ve probably noticed the temperature numbers look somewhat deceptive.
Right now, the mercury is hovering around 21°F, but that’s a total lie.
Because of the wind—which is currently whipping out of the north at a steady 18 mph—the "feels like" temperature is a miserable 7°F. Honestly, if you’re heading out to the Metra station or walking the Riverwalk, that’s the only number that actually matters.
The big afternoon drop
Most people expect the day to get warmer as the sun comes up. Usually, that’s how physics works. But today is a bit of a weird one for the West Suburbs. While we hit a technical high of 34°F earlier, the trend for the rest of Wednesday, January 14, is a sharp slide downward.
By the time most people are leaving the office or picking up kids from Neuqua Valley or Naperville Central, it’s going to feel significantly more brutal.
We’re looking at temperatures falling into the low 20s by mid-afternoon.
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Cloud cover is going to be heavy for most of the day. There was some light snow and flurries this morning—maybe an inch in some spots—which has left the side streets a bit slick. If you're driving down 75th Street or Ogden, watch out for those patches of black ice that tend to form when the wind-chill stays this low.
Why the wind in Naperville feels different
It’s not just your imagination.
The geography of our area, basically being a flat expanse of suburban development and open fields to the west, allows the wind to pick up a ton of speed without much to stop it. Today, we’ve seen gusts topping 30 mph. When that hits the humidity level of 52%, it creates a "damp cold" that cuts right through a standard wool coat.
You’ve got to think about layering today.
A base layer is non-negotiable if you're going to be outside for more than ten minutes. The National Weather Service out of Romeoville has been tracking this northern front, and they’re essentially saying the worst of the wind chill is yet to come. Tonight, the actual temperature is going to bottom out near 14°F, but with the wind continuing to howl, we could see wind chills dipping into the negatives.
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Snow totals and commute impacts
Don't expect a winter wonderland, but don't expect dry pavement either.
The chance of precipitation is sitting around 40% for the afternoon. It's that fine, powdery light snow that doesn't look like much but makes the I-88 commute a total headache. Visibility can drop fast. According to local observations from the DuPage Airport station, the visibility has fluctuated between 2 and 10 miles all morning.
If you are commuting:
- The ramp from Washington Street to I-88 is notoriously prone to drifting snow.
- Pace buses might see slight delays if the flurries pick up around the 5:00 PM rush.
- Most of the heavy snow is bypassing us to the east, but we're catching the "wraparound" moisture.
Looking ahead to the rest of the week
Is it going to get better? Sorta.
Tomorrow, Thursday, looks a bit drier but even colder. We're looking at a high of only 24°F. If you’re planning on doing anything outdoors this weekend, maybe rethink it. Friday is showing another system moving in that could bring more substantial snow—early estimates are suggesting 1-2 inches—followed by a massive temperature drop on Sunday where highs might not even break 20°F.
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Basically, winter has finally decided to show up in full force.
Actionable steps for Naperville residents
Take five minutes to check your tire pressure. Cold snaps like this cause the air in your tires to contract, and a low-pressure light is the last thing you want to deal with when it's 7 degrees out.
Keep a bag of salt or sand by your front door. The transition from today's "high" to tonight's freeze means any melted slush from this morning is going to turn into a skating rink by 6:00 PM.
If you have pets, keep the walks short. If your ears are stinging after two minutes, their paws are definitely feeling it.
The best strategy for today is to get your errands done before 3:00 PM. After that, the temperature drop combined with the sunset at 4:45 PM is going to make the outdoors pretty inhospitable.
Stay warm and keep the heavy coat handy.
Check your local basement pipes if they are near exterior walls. With a low of 14°F tonight and sustained winds, those "micro-drafts" in older Naperville homes can lead to frozen lines faster than you’d think. Open those cabinet doors under the sink just to be safe.