Dangerous wind chills of up to 35 degrees below zero were expected Thursday night and into Friday morning because of northwest winds and plummeting temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.
“The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes. … Frostbite and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken,” forecasters warned.
Temperatures had already dropped to 1 below zero with a 22-below wind-chill factor at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport by early Thursday evening.
The wind chill advisory, for central, east-central and west-central Minnesota as well as western Wisconsin, was in effect until 9 a.m. Friday.
However, Arctic air — the coldest of the season — will swoop in again Tuesday and Wednesday, following snow expected late Sunday into Monday.
Wind chills on Tuesday and Wednesday could fall to 30 to 40 below zero in the Twin Cities. Tuesday’s daily high temperature might reach only 4 below and Wednesday’s high might not even rise above minus 10. Overnight lows Wednesday could fall below minus 20.
The wind chill advisories cover “pretty much the entire Upper Midwest,” said meteorologist Bill Borghoff of the National Weather Service in Chanhassen.
Kenny Blumenfeld, senior climatologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ State Climatology Office, said winter cold snaps on average are an annual occurrence in Minnesota. But extreme cold happens only about once every three to five years, he said.
Frigid temperatures caused officials of the 133rd St. Paul Winter Carnival to cancel at least two events so far: Thursday evening’s opening pedestrian Moon Glow Parade and Friday’s events at the Vulcan Snow Park at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
Officials are evaluating events in relation to the cold on a day-by-day basis.
Winter Carnival president and CEO Deb Schaber said Wednesday the festival’s policy is that events go on unless the wind chill is 25 or more degrees below zero.
The King Boreas Grand Old Day Parade is still scheduled for Saturday afternoon, as is the Securian Winter Run on Saturday morning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
As dangerous wind chills set in, Winter Carnival cancels a few events
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