Chicagoans worried about being unable to pay their gas or electric bills with the approach of the Midwest’s notorious winter had a bit of a reprieve this year, at least from the weather.
The Chicago region had an unusually mild fall, with sunny days and warm temperatures through the end of November this year, meteorologists said.
But the reprieve won’t last — December will bring gusts of wind and the normal chilly temperatures that are associated with this time of year, meteorologists said.
And cold weather usually means more concerns about keeping homes heated, and more requests for help, experts said.
“Traditionally, when we have mild falls, we don’t see the number of people coming in for help,” said Jennifer Smith, director of home energy programs for the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County. CEDA gives low-income residents grants and access to programs to help them weatherize their homes and keep their utilities on. “We are very heavily weather-driven. On nicer days, the volume is lower. On cold, freezing days, we get more people coming through our door.”
The Chicago area has yet to see a measurable snowfall, which usually graces the city by the beginning of December, said Jim Ramsey, a meteorologist with the Chicago Weather Center. Still that’s not indicative of what is to come, he said.
Long-term weather forecasts are difficult, Ramsey said. But by Friday, the temperature is expected to fall well below freezing, with a predicted low of 17 degrees.
Residents in Chicago who need help paying their gas and electric bills can call 311 and ask for “short-term assistance” to find out where to go for aid.
In suburban Cook County, residents can call 877-426-6515.
— Lolly Bowean
