Above / Up to 9 inches of wet, heavy snow are forecast. Both School Districts 203 and 204 will be closed Friday. All DuPage County Public Health Centers also will be closed due to weather conditions. (See way below for more info about health centers.) All Naperville Park District programs scheduled prior to 3PM on Friday, February 9 are canceled due to anticipated extreme weather. Garbage and recycling collection for Friday, February 9, is canceled.
Preparations are underway by the City of Naperville to handle the 5 to 9 inches of snowfall anticipated to begin falling the evening of Thursday, February 8 and throughout the day on Friday, February 9. In addition, the City is ready to handle the anticipated additional three inches of snow forecasted for both Saturday, February 10 and Sunday, February 11.
“The safety of our citizens is the City’s number one concern throughout this event,” Communications Manager Linda LaCloche said. “Our Police, Fire and Public Works departments have shifted into 12-hour work modes to ensure service continuation, and our Public Works crews are ready to begin snow removal operations later today.”
Friday’s Garbage / Recycling Collection canceled
Garbage and recycling collection for Friday, February 9, has been canceled due to the impending snowstorm. Residents who receive Friday garbage and recycling collection will have their garbage and recycling picked up on Saturday, February 10. In addition, the Recycling Drop-Off Center at 156 Fort Hill Drive will be closed on February 9.
Currently, the worst of this storm is expected to occur during the height of the morning rush hour on February 9. The rate at which the snow will fall will make snow removal more challenging. Please understand that the roadways in Naperville tomorrow during rush hour will not be clear. There will be slush and potentially snow on the roadways, and neighborhood streets will have packed snow on them. If you do not have to travel, the City encourages the public to stay off the roads and exercise patience as crews work to clear the streets.
Wet heavy snow predicted
In addition, City staff has spoken with the contractors that work in cul-de-sacs so they can prepare for adequate staffing needs throughout this storm. This storm is expected to produce wet, heavy snow. From past experience, once five to six inches of this type of snow falls, it becomes extraordinarily difficult for the City’s pick-up trucks that it uses on neighborhood streets and contractors’ equipment to remove it.
For cul-de-sacs, the City anticipates calling its contractors in at the midpoint of the storm (currently estimated overnight, but that could change as conditions warrant) to begin plowing.
The City will be putting out regular communications through social media, the City’s website, the City’s Snow Command Blog, and Naper Notify about the City’s response to this storm starting this afternoon. Updates will follow at 6 and 10PM tonight.
To help residents plan accordingly tomorrow, the City will send its first regular update at 6AM on February 9, then every four hours until 10PM Throughout the day, additional communications will be issued as conditions warrant.
Submitted by Kate R. Schultz, Communications Specialist, for the City of Naperville.
All DuPage County Public Health Centers closing Friday
DUPAGE COUNTY—Due to the forecast of heavy snow that will seriously affect travel conditions, the DuPage County Health Department’s Public Health Centers in Addison, Lombard, West Chicago, Westmont and Wheaton will be closed on Friday, February 9, 2018.
The Health Department’s Crisis Hotline (630) 627-1700 in Behavioral Health Services will remain in operation.
The Public Health Center in Wheaton will be open on Saturday, February 10, 2018, from 8AM to 1PM.
All offices will reopen at their regular times on Monday, February 12, 2018.
DuPage County Health Department clients with appointments scheduled for Friday, February 9, are asked to please call (630) 682-7400 on Monday, February 12, to re-schedule.
Submitted by Don Bolger, Public Information Officer, DuPage County Health Department.
Naperville Park District Programs canceled for Friday
All Naperville Park District programs scheduled prior to 3PM on Friday, February 9, are canceled due to anticipated extreme weather. The cancellation includes all scheduled classes, drop-in programs, Fort Hill Activity Center childcare, open gyms and group fitness classes. In addition, the Knoch Knolls Nature Center, 95th Street Center, the Administration Building and the golf shops at Naperbrook and Springbrook Golf Courses will be closed. Makeup information for programs will be communicated to participants at the next class.
A decision regarding evening programs will be posted on the cancellations page at www.napervilleparks.org/cancellations by 2PM.
Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, located at 305 W. Jackson Ave., and Fort Hill Activity Center, located at 20 Fort Hill Drive, will be open Friday during regular hours as warming centers.
Submitted by Sue Omanson for the Naperville Park District.
PN File Photos