A powerful snowstorm hit the area on Friday morning, causing library closures, power cuts and limited parking restrictions.
The snowstorm alert was issued early on Friday and will remain active until Saturday afternoon. Intense snowfall, gusty winds up to 45 mph and hazardous road conditions are forecasted, according to the National Weather Service.
Power Outages
Starting at about 7:30 a.m., the Riverside and North Riverside area together experienced nine power outages in roughly the area of the Selborne/Southcote Triangle, affecting about 19 customers, according to the ComEd. As of Friday afternoon, Brookfield was experiencing 10 power outages.
Closures
All departments at the Brookfield Town Hall have no power, internet and phone service and residents will not be able to access regular village services. The IT team is worki
Brookfield Zoo will be closed because of the storm Jan. 12, and plans to delay its opening on Jan. 13 until noon. The zoo staff will still be on site to provide care for the animals. The North parking lot, located on 31st Street, will be closed through Jan. 16, but the South parking lot, located at 3300 Golf Rd., will remain open.
Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library will be closed but offers reference services for the residents through chat and email. During this time, they encourage people to take advantage of their e-books, movies, newspapers, magazines, and more on their website. The library will not operate as a warming center.
Road hazards
At about 7 a.m., at the corner of Addison Street and Harlem Street leading into Berwyn, a microburst of high wind snapped an lighting pole. Berwyn police came to redirect the traffic and stopped drivers on Addison while blocking off Shenstone Street. According to the Riverside resident Davin Schade, who witnessed the incident, the snapped pole was leaning and weighing down three poles on the block. ComEd showed up, and after an hour the traffic went back to normal.
Parking restrictions
The Village of Brookfield is asking residents to park on the right side of the street, in accordance with the signs, and keep cars parked until 8 p.m. for the snowplowing. The garbage company will add to their services for the remainder of the day and until the next wave of the snow storm has passed.
Where to stay warm
Although Brookfield library will be closed, Riverside Township at 27 Riverside Road will be available as a warming center until 4 p.m.
Another nearby option is Berwyn Public Library, located 2701 S. Harlem Ave., and will operate till 2 p.m.
Proviso Township at 4565 W. Harrison St. is open till 4 p.m.
For more information about the warming shelters near your location go to the Cook County’s website.