As challenging conditions due to a third winter storm in ten days, brutally cold temperatures could potentially cause dangerous conditions on the roads.

It’s why hundreds of snow plows and salt spreaders took to the slippery streets Thursday. Multiple traffic crashes in the areas north and west of the city were reported. The Northern Suburbs were hit the hardest but it wasn’t all bad for some Deerfield residents. WGN cameras caught kids at Brickyards Park with colorful sleds in hand, with no worries of the plunging temperatures — yet.

While the snowfall eventually slowed, the winds picked up, expected to hit subzero territory.

In response to the drop in temperature, the Illinois tollway is opening its snow operations center, deploying its full fleet of snowplows and beefing up road patrols through the weekend to help stranded drivers.