Bitter, sustained 10-day mostly subzero cold wave kicks in
Subzero wave may not break until around Presidents Day
Winter coldest air mass blows into Minnesota this weekend. Looking at the latest weather maps, it appears likely a string of subzero nights will last more than a week.
Southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities may claw above zero a couple of days next week. But many northern Minnesota locations may remain below zero for up to 10 days.
Wind chill warnings and advisories
Basically most of the Upper Midwest is under wind chill warnings or advisories this weekend.
Wind chill warnings cover the Red River Valley and northwest Minnesota. Wind chills may approach minus 50 this weekend in northwest Minnesota.
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Here’s the view on wind chills Friday night from the Duluth National Weather Service office.
Wind chill advisories blanket most of southern Minnesota including the Twin Cities. Wind chills could hit minus 35 in parts of central and southern Minnesota.
Including the cities of Princeton, Mora, Sauk Rapids, Elk River, Cambridge, Center City, Madison, Montevideo, Willmar, Litchfield, Monticello, Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater, Granite Falls, Olivia, Hutchinson, Gaylord, Chanhassen, Chaska, Victoria, Shakopee, Hastings, Osceola, Rice Lake, Ladysmith, Hudson, River Falls, Menomonie, Chippewa Falls, and Eau Claire 233 PM CST Fri Feb 5 2021
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM SATURDAY TO NOON CST SUNDAY...
* WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 34 below zero.
* WHERE...Portions of northwest and west central Wisconsin and central, east central and west central Minnesota.
* WHEN...From 3 AM Saturday to noon CST Sunday.
* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...If traveling please have a charged cell phone and warm clothes with you.
Long-duration cold wave
The upper air pattern over the northern hemisphere continues to pump bitterly cold arctic air into Minnesota through next week. Watch as a second polar vortex lobe spins southward into Minnesota late next week.
Most of Minnesota will stay below zero all weekend. Southern Minnesota may claw to around zero by Monday through Wednesday afternoons.
The temperature guidance for next week strongly suggests the mostly subzero air will remain in place.
The medium-range forecast suggests the cold wave may break after Presidents Day on Feb. 15.
Stay tuned — and stay warm!