As the Chicago area gets its first snow of the season and potential wind chills in the 20s, can you start your car and warm it up while you, say, shovel the driveway?
While some parts of the Chicago area saw its first snowflakes Wednesday night, all of Northeastern Illinois is expected to see waves of snow showers Thursday morning. That could mean bursts of heavy, intense snow at times and up to four inches of accumulation.
It all makes for a likely chilly commute -- and an unpleasant experience sitting inside a cold vehicle while it warms up.
So can you warm up your vehicle without being inside of it?
In Illinois, legally speaking, the short answer is no.
Illinois is one of many states that have implemented laws against leaving motor vehicles unattended, making it illegal to do so.
Here's what the state's vehicle code says: "...No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key from the ignition, effectively setting the brake thereon and, when standing upon any perceptible grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway."
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In Chicago, leaving a vehicle unattended is a municipal code violation, as is the case in other communities.
But there is one way around it: Using a remote start.
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A vehicle turned on using a remote starter system is not classified an "unattended motor vehicle," the law says.
The Chicago Police Department has warned against doing so in past years, though, noting a string of vehicle thefts in which offenders targeted unattended vehicles.
The NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released its winter weather projections last month for the Chicago area, with La Niña expected to impact conditions in the Great Lakes this season. Those projections are calling for wetter-than-normal conditions in the Chicago area.
Thankfully, according to the University of Illinois, winters during La Niña patterns tend to be warmer and wetter than average, with more frequent snow and winter storms.
