The Twin Cities region is bracing for a sustained blast of Arctic chill, with forecasters issuing a series of alerts and advisories to warn residents about the serious cold snap. Temperatures in Minneapolis are expected to hit a daily high of just 9 degrees, according to the National Weather Service (NWS), with wind chill values plummeting as low as -20 due to a brisk west northwest wind. Tonight, the mercury is set to dip even further, reaching around -1, intensifying the cold experience with wind chill values as low as -10.
In a seperate release, the NWS’s Hazardous Weather Outlook highlights the persistence of perilously cold conditions, stating “wind chills of 20 below to 30 below zero are expected this morning.” Moving forward through the week, from Wednesday to M.L.King Day, mostly sunny skies will do little to alleviate the gripping cold, with wind chills potentially hitting extreme lows Saturday night through Monday when another Arctic air mass arrives. A Cold Weather Advisory echoes these sentiments, cautioning about “very cold wind chills as low as 26 below.”
The impact of this extreme cold is not to be underestimated. The NWS has explicitly warned that “The cold wind chills as low as 25 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.” Echoing this, local authorities have advised residents to layer up with hats, face masks, and gloves if venturing outdoors becomes a necessity. Particularly vulnerable populations, such as the homeless and the elderly, stand at increased risk during such severe weather events…