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CITY GUIDES/ILLINOIS/CHICAGO

CHICAGO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

Prepare for emergencies
in Chicago.

Plan for winter storms, summer heat, basement flooding and severe thunderstorms. Explore local weather, transit and utility resources, then build your household plan.

Cook County · Illinois

Build my household plan →Find evacuation resources →
Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan viewed from the museum campus
COOK COUNTYChicago,
Illinois
Chicago skyline · September 2016
Photo: Gian Marco Leonardi · credit and license

This guide covers Chicago. O’Hare station averages differ from lakefront and neighborhood conditions. County and regional weather resources cover areas beyond the city. Historical data and planning tools; check official sources for current conditions.

View sources ↗

CHOOSE A STARTING POINT

What do you need to prepare?

Plan for evacuationFind zone lookup, transport, and assistance resources.Review your options →Prepare your householdCalculate water, make a checklist, and save your plan.Build your plan →Understand the seasonsCompare cold winters, summer heat and rainfall throughout the year.Explore local weather →
All sections ↑My household plan →

01 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Chicago weather by month

Compare winter temperatures, summer heat and precipitation through the year. Snowfall is represented here only by its water equivalent.

Chicago O’Hare Airport · NOAA 1991–2020

Monthly averages, not a forecast. Rainfall includes the water equivalent of precipitation. Days reaching 90°F are not heat-index days.

Read all monthly values
MonthHigh °FLow °FRain inchesDays ≥90°F
January31.618.81.990
February35.721.81.970
March47312.450
April5940.33.750
May70.550.64.490.8
June80.460.84.14.1
July84.566.43.716.5
August82.565.14.253.7
September75.557.13.191.6
October62.745.43.430
November48.434.12.420
December36.624.42.110

Winter preparation

Use the low-temperature table as context, then check the forecast for wind chill, ice and snow before travel.

Lakefront differences

O’Hare is inland. Lake breezes and local storms mean the shoreline may not match the airport.

Summer downpours

Monthly averages smooth out extreme events. A single storm can cause serious basement or street flooding.

Download the station data ↗

02 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Plan for snow, ice and a loss of heat

Prepare both a stay-home plan and a way to reach a heated place if your home becomes unsafe.

Downtown buildings beside the Chicago River on a winter evening
Chicago River · December 2009. Local winter scene, not a documented blizzard.Photo: Chad Kainz · CC BY 2.0

Before a storm

Check your building’s heating arrangements, store warm layers and keep lights charged. Ask who to call for a heating failure.

Before a trip

Check CTA service and elevator alerts. If driving, review current conditions and posted winter parking restrictions.

If heat fails

Contact building management and use 311 for city assistance. Do not use a stove, grill or outdoor heater to warm an indoor space.

Open Chicago winter resources ↗ · Check CTA disruptions ↗

On designated arterial streets, the winter overnight parking ban runs from 3–7 a.m., December 1–April 1, regardless of snowfall. Read the signs on your street and the city’s parking guidance ↗.

03 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Find a place to cool down in summer

Warm nights and a power outage can make an apartment difficult to cool. Choose an air-conditioned destination in advance.

Use the city’s cooling-center map, then call 311 to confirm which locations are operating. Some sites open only when conditions warrant, and holidays can change hours. Plan the trip as well as the destination.

Agree on a check-in routine with a neighbor or relative, especially for someone who lives alone or needs help traveling. If you rely on an elevator, include an assistance plan for an outage.

Open the cooling-center map ↗

04 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Prepare for basement and street flooding

Heavy rain can overwhelm drainage even far from the river. Know which rooms, stairwells and roads you should avoid if water rises.

Before heavy rain

Move important papers and irreplaceable items out of vulnerable low storage. Ask management about drains and previous water entry.

Choose a safer route

Avoid underpasses and other low roads when they are flooded. Never drive around a barrier or through standing water.

Report the problem

Use 311 for non-emergency city service requests. Call 911 for immediate danger; do not enter a flooded basement to investigate electrical equipment.

Read floodwater safety ↗ · Open Chicago 311 ↗

05 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Choose your tornado and severe-wind shelter

Dense city blocks do not remove the need for a shelter plan. Know where to go at home, at work and while traveling.

For a tornado warning, use a basement or a small interior space on the lowest safe floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. Ask your building manager about the designated shelter area before warnings occur.

If basement flooding is also a concern, plan an alternative with building staff. A car or mobile home is not a suitable tornado shelter. Keep phone alerts on and use another source of weather information.

Review NWS shelter guidance ↗ · Register for NotifyChicago ↗

06 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Plan how to leave your building or neighborhood

Chicago does not use hurricane evacuation zones. Your destination and route depend on the event and official instructions.

Building exit plan

Locate stair routes and ask management about evacuation assistance. Keep essential contacts and a light where you can reach them.

Transit backup

Save a second route and check CTA service and elevator alerts before leaving. Do not assume your usual accessible route is available.

A place to stay

Arrange a friend, relative or other suitable destination. Call 311 for city service information and follow emergency instructions for an active incident.

Review transit alerts ↗ · Find city assistance ↗

Different emergencies call for different actions. Follow fire-department instructions for a building fire and weather guidance for a tornado; do not treat every alert as an instruction to go outside.

07 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

Build your Chicago household plan

Choose your household size, supply duration and housing type. Save a checklist and download local contacts with your plan.

Water bottles, first-aid kit, flashlight, radio and other supplies laid out on a table
Lay out your supplies before using the checklist below. Illustrative supplies, not a complete emergency kit.Photo: Roger Brown · Pexels license
  1. 1Enter household details
  2. 2Review water and tasks
  3. 3Download your plan

STARTING WATER RESERVE

14gallons

2 people × 7 days × 1 gallon per day

For people only; add pet and individual needs.

Your household checklist

0 of 6 complete

Tracks these tasks only, not a safety score. Choices stay in this browser.

Saved only on this device

The seven-day setting is a planning scenario. Start with at least one gallon of water per person per day; increase it for heat, pets and individual needs. Read water-storage guidance ↗

Keep a portable bag separate from your home reserve. Add medication instructions, accessibility needs and meeting places to the downloaded worksheet. The checklist tracks tasks you mark; it does not measure whether your home is safe.

08 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

A monthly Chicago preparation checklist

Choose a month for three practical tasks. These are suggested reminders, not a forecast or a restriction on when hazards can happen.

    Read the full year’s checklist

    January — Check winter essentials

    • Confirm a heated backup destination.
    • Keep layers and charged lights accessible.
    • Review CTA service before necessary trips.

    February — Review heating and outages

    • Save your building’s emergency contact.
    • Check smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms.
    • Confirm ComEd reporting details.

    March — Prepare for spring storms

    • Choose a tornado shelter at home and work.
    • Register for NotifyChicago.
    • Check where important records are stored.

    April — Review flood preparation

    • Ask about past basement water entry.
    • Move sensitive items off vulnerable low storage.
    • Identify a route that avoids flooded underpasses.

    May — Plan summer cooling

    • Choose a cooling destination and a backup.
    • Agree on neighbor check-ins.
    • Check fans, air conditioning and charging equipment.

    June — Confirm cooling access

    • Check current cooling-center availability.
    • Plan a ride if an elevator or transit route fails.
    • Review household water storage.

    July — Keep heat and storm plans ready

    • Charge devices before thunderstorms.
    • Check on relatives during hot weather.
    • Review road and transit conditions after heavy rain.

    August — Refresh outage supplies

    • Replace supplies used during summer outages.
    • Check fridge and freezer thermometers.
    • Confirm emergency contact details.

    September — Prepare heating systems

    • Ask management about heating-season readiness.
    • Review current city heating guidance.
    • Check warm clothing and blankets.

    October — Prepare for winter travel

    • Review alternate transit routes.
    • Check portable lights and batteries.
    • Download a fresh household plan.

    November — Check snow arrangements

    • Identify who clears your building’s exits.
    • Read parking signs where you leave your car.
    • Save city winter resources.

    December — Winter parking restrictions begin

    • Check designated overnight-ban streets from December 1.
    • Keep essential supplies accessible during snow.
    • Confirm your heated backup destination.

    09 / USE THE TOOLS

    Estimate battery runtime for your devices

    Use the power label on each device. This calculator estimates energy use; it does not check electrical compatibility.

    A switched-on flashlight resting on a surface
    Include battery-powered lighting in your outage plan. Use the calculator below for devices you would power from a battery station.Photo: Steve A Johnson · Pexels license
    1. 1Select devices
    2. 2Adjust watts and daily hours
    3. 3Enter battery capacity
    Editable example device loads
    UseDeviceWattsHours/day

    Watts × hours gives daily watt-hours. Battery capacity × usable percentage gives estimated usable energy. Actual runtime also depends on starting surges, inverter limits, battery condition and temperature.

    A small battery may charge phones or lights, but it is not a household heating or cooling plan. Arrange a suitable place to go if your home becomes unsafe. For medical equipment, confirm backup requirements with the equipment provider.

    10 / USE THE TOOLS

    Estimate Chicago solar output by month

    Compare the seasons before relying on a portable panel for backup charging.

    NASA POWER · 2001–2025

    The estimate uses monthly average sunlight on a horizontal surface: panel watts × daily irradiation × the percentage retained after losses. It is an approximate daily energy budget, not guaranteed output during a storm.

    Shade, nearby buildings, panel angle, temperature and charging limits change the result. Check that the panel and battery are compatible. View the underlying NASA grid data ↗

    11 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Set up Chicago emergency alerts

    Use local alerts and a second information source. Test reception and batteries before you need them.

    Sign up for local alerts ↗

    Cook County · SAME county code017031

    Keep the leading zero.

    NOAA WEATHER RADIO162.550 MHz

    KWO39 · Verify reception where you will use the radio. Radio setup source ↗

    SAME filters county alerts on compatible receivers. A basic weather-band radio may only play broadcasts when switched on. Check the model before relying on automatic warnings; the county code does not identify your evacuation zone.

    12 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Save these Chicago contacts

    Put these links and numbers in your phone and keep a paper copy. Check your utility bill to confirm the correct provider.

    Emergency

    Call 911 for immediate danger.

    13 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

    Local events worth planning for

    These examples show how different emergencies affect everyday life. They are not a forecast or an estimate of your address’s risk.

    2011

    Groundhog Day Blizzard

    NWS reports 21.2 inches of snow at O’Hare over January 31–February 2, with strong winds and widespread transport disruption. Planning lesson: prepare to remain home and keep a separate plan for loss of heat. Read the event review ↗

    2023

    July 2 flash flooding

    Heavy rain caused significant flooding in Chicago and nearby suburbs. Planning lesson: prepare for basement and roadway flooding even when the monthly rainfall chart looks ordinary. Read the event review ↗

    14 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Shop this guide

    Supplies selected for Chicago’s local risks and the plans on this page. Start with what you already own.

    These are individual products, not a complete emergency kit. Compare capacity, fit and household needs before buying. Cards show the current store catalog; confirm options and availability on the product page.

    Browse all emergency supplies →

    Keep warm hand protection with winter supplies and travel clothing. Gloves do not replace access to a heated place.

    Use these reusable heat packs as a temporary comfort item during cold-weather travel. Follow instructions; they are not a home-heating solution.

    Light a room during a winter or summer outage. This lantern needs three AA batteries, sold separately.

    Monitor cold-food storage during an outage. Follow official food-safety guidance before keeping food.

    Keep small devices charged while snow, storms or outages disrupt service. Check the 155Wh capacity and 150W output; it will not run household heating.

    Open canned food during a power outage without an electric opener. Pair it with food your household already uses.

    SOURCES AND COVERAGE

    Where the Chicago information comes from

    Independent Local Prepper guide. Sources reviewed November 2026. City, county, airport, and regional data are labeled separately. No address-level safety assessment or live alert feed is provided.

    Browse all sources and their coverage

    Photo: Chicago Skyline Illinois.jpg by Gian Marco Leonardi, Taken on 19 September 2016. Public domain. Display cropped.

    Browse all city guides →