These Instagram Shots Show How Cold Chicago Winters Can Get

Brace yourselves. Winter is here.

Chicago cold is brutal, whether you’ve lived here for decades or just moved to town. It’s undeniable, so much so that some locals have gone to great lengths and steep prices to stay warm. And, to anyone who tries to call BS on these claims, just show them these pics and they’ll feel the chill in their bones.

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From some of our favorite Chi-town photographers, these Instagram shots give you a sneak peek at the cruelty of Chicago winters.

 

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Polar Plunge, anyone?

 

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🏂

A post shared by n i c k c r a w f o r d (@nickcrvwford) on

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It looks serene until you realize that the river is so cold it could kill you.

 

Yeah, no thanks.

 

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Holiday bokeh, so hot right now.

A post shared by Andrew Glatt (@andrew_glatt) on

We’ve all been there.

 

Dope swipe shot from a personal fav.

 

I’ll be inside, thanks.

 

Uh, nope.

 

Notice how light traffic is. Everybody’s already in hibernation mode.

 

Probably not the best time to ride a Divvy bike.

 

I know some of y’all are die hard… but you might actually die if you try to brave a storm like this.

 

Get ready for a ton of weather-related CTA delays.

 

A Cloud Gate, no longer. At least while it’s snowy outside.

 

This one is really deceptive. Don’t be fooled by overly sunny days. It’s still freezing.

 

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reminder.

A post shared by evelina rošić (@shhisha) on

Let it stop.

 

Are you a Chicago photographer? DM us your pics at @urbanmatterchicago for a chance to be featured!