Temperature drops below zero in Chicago for first time in nearly a year

Ice forms on the lakefront trail as steam rises from buildings that make up the Chicago skyline. Temperatures dipped to -1 °F Friday morning. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

A wind chill advisory was issued for some areas of the Chicago area Friday morning as the temperature dropped below zero for the first time in almost a year.

The official reading at O’Hare International Airport hit minus-1 degrees at 8 a.m., the first time the temperature has been below zero since Feb. 14, when it got down to minus-5, according to the National Weather Service.

Chicago typically logs about eight mornings each year with lows below zero.

A wind chill advisory was in effect until 9 a.m. Mostly sunny skies were expected during the day but with bitter cold. The temperature was expected to reach 14 with wind gusts up to 15 mph.