Strong winds will be persistent through the day, with wind chills below zero. The freezing cold temperatures are expected to stay for a while.
Highs will be in the teens Friday and Saturday, but wind chills may be below zero through early next week.
Chicago's lakefront, covered with sheets of ice, has become a popular destination for photo ops, and even for proposals.
"I'm fairly certain someone popped the question out here on the beach in the cold," said Brad McCandless, Chicago resident. "More power to them, interesting photo background, not the best setting in my opinion."
The deep freeze iced over stretches of sidewalk and roadway, making for dangerous conditions on foot or in vehicles.