News All-time record cold reported in Illinois cities as US freeze shows little signs of easing January 31, 2019 Steve Kiggins and Aamer Madhani and John Bacon, USA TODAY Comments Off on All-time record cold reported in Illinois cities as US freeze shows little signs of easing Near-record temperatures were being recorded in dozens of cities and towns. The Midwestern metropolises of Chicago, Minneapolis and Detroit were among areas feeling the brunt of the polar vortex-powered weather.