Lake County government offices are closed Jan. 30 and Jan. 31 due to extremely cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills currently impacting the area. Officials will reconvene Thursday to evaluate the status of operations for Friday, Feb. 1.

Employees involved in essential services and emergency operations will continue to report to work, but other routine matters will have to wait until the County reopens.  

• The 19th Judicial Circuit is closed Jan. 30 - 31, with the exception of Bond Court, which will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 31.   
  
  
• The Lake County Health Department is closed Jan. 30 – 31, with the exception of the Addictions Treatment Program, Community Integrated Living Arrangement, Crisis Care Program, Mental Health Group Home, and Women’s Residential Services. 

Wind chills as low as -50° and temperatures significantly below zero are currently impacting our area. Temperatures this cold can cause frostbite to exposed skin in as little as five minutes and can cause other life-threatening situations. Officials made the decision to close after a careful evaluation of these dangerous conditions. Ultimately, the safety of community members, employees and jurors outweighs the inconvenience of a minor disruption in services. Closing government offices will keep additional people off the road, hopefully easing the burden on emergency responders who will be working around the clock to keep community members safe during this extreme weather event,

Resources 

• Lake County has put together a web page for residents to access information on warming center locations, the County’s snow plow operations, and safety tips.  
• Make sure to follow the National Weather Service for the latest weather updates. In case of an emergency, call 9-1-1.  
• Lake County will continue to post updates throughout the week on its Facebook page and website.