The first true arctic blast of the year is here, and it has air temperatures dropping well below zero with dangerous wind chills expected through late this week.

The latest from the National Weather Service has a wind chill warning in effect now through noon Tuesday for the Minnesota side of the Twin Ports region, with a wind chill advisory in effect through noon on Tuesday for the Wisconsin side of the border.

Wind Chill Advisory

This advisory, which is currently in effect for the Wisconsin side of the Twin Ports region, is tied to wind chill values between -20 and -40 that will persist through at least noon on Tuesday. Air temperatures during the day will be around 0 degrees with overnight temperatures between -10 and -20.

Wind Chill Warning

This warning is in effect for the Minnesota side of the Twin Ports now through noon Tuesday. This warning is for wind chill values between -30 and -50, making any time spent outdoors potentially dangerous. With wind chill values like those expected during this warning, frostbite is possible between 5 and 10 minutes for exposed skin. Hypothermia is also something to be concerned about as exposure to these conditions can cause body temperature to drop more rapidly.

The National Weather Service recommends avoiding unnecessary time spent outdoors during this period of dangerous wind chills. If you must head outdoors, be sure to cover any exposed skin and keep exposure to a minimum. If you must travel, be sure to have a winter survival kit in case of a vehicle breakdown.

Cold temperatures are expected to continue through Wednesday, with daytime air temperatures near -10 through the remainder of Monday and 0 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday before warming up slightly on Thursday. Breezy conditions will still persist along with the cold, so there is a potential for more wind chill advisories or warnings through the early part of the week.

 

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