Expected wind chills this afternoon, tonight and Tuesday

It's been a brutal Monday morning with wind chills getting close to -50 degrees and actual temperatures between -15 degrees and -21 degrees. 

We've already reached our high temperature for today which was shortly after Midnight when the temperature reached -7 degrees.  Ever since then, the temperature has been falling as the core of the cold air resides overhead this morning.  Our high of -7 degrees is the coldest high since February 3rd, 1996 when we reached only -12 degrees.  There have only been 17 days with a high of -7 degrees or lower since 1905!

Temperatures are not expected to rise much this afternoon from where we're currently at now.  With a west/northwest wind gusting up to 25 mph, wind chills will remain in the -40 degree to -45 degree range through the afternoon and evening.  By Tuesday morning wind chills will be as low as -40 degrees, but as a ridge of high pressure moves in overhead there will be a slight improvement found with the wind chills as the wind begins to ease a bit from the southwest. Tuesday afternoon wind chills are expected to be between -20 degrees and -25 degrees.  Still cold, but at least it's not -50 degrees!  Temperatures will slowly climb back near average (upper 20's) by the end of the week.

Another concern for this afternoon will be the blowing and drifting snow.  Over the weekend strong north winds made east/west roads absolutely unbearable in open and rural areas.  Even on east/west interstates and highways.  This afternoon, a slight shift in the wind direction to the west will cause north/south roads to experience drifting and blowing snow.  Winds won't be as strong as what they were this weekend, but with gusts between 25 and 30 mph it will cause slick and snow covered roads.