Update on Frigid Temperatures

 The arctic air has arrived in the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains. North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin are all see subzero temperatures this evening. Those temperatures will continue to fall and spread southward into the Stateline by late tonight. We will likely dip below zero by Sunday morning with my forecast low currently at -2°. That is not the end of the story, however. Winds will be breezy at times during this arctic air outbreak. Thus, we will have bitterly cold wind chills to deal with. As a result, we are under a Wind Chill Advisory from midnight until 11am Sunday as the National Weather Service is anticipating dangerously cold wind chills.

You can see that advisory includes the entire region. Now, just how cold will our wind chills go? As it looks now, they will likely dip into the -15° to -25° range tonight with blustery west northwest winds upwards of 15mph combining with temperatures near zero. As for Sunday, don't expect much relief as temperatures will only rise to near 2° under a partly cloudy sky. It will be a day with very deceiving sunshine. Wind chills Sunday will remain well below zero as well, with readings likely between -15° and -25° again.

 

With numbers this cold, the conditions are going to be hazardous to dangerous at times. The main issue will be frostbite, which can occur in less than 30 minutes on exposed skin. Therefore, it is highly advisable to limit outdoor exposure thru Tuesday morning because wind chills will remain dangerous. If you must venture out, it is a good idea to bundle up as much as possible and cover all of your skin.

If you suspect you may have frostbite, get it looked at by a professional immediately as it can cause severe damage to your skin. Another important reminder with the cold is to keep your car's gas tank at least half-full because subzero temperatures can cause problems if your gas tank is too low. Lastly, it is also important to bring all pets inside because they cannot cope with the dangerous cold either, so letting them stay outside is not a good idea.