Minnesota Weather: 2022 Begins With A Night Of Dangerous Cold

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minnesota is bringing in the new year with a blast of arctic air.

Nearly the entire state is under a wind chill warning from midnight to noon on New Year’s Day.

According to WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer, communities in northern Minnesota could experience dangerously cold wind chills near 50 below zero. In such frigid cold, frostbite can set in on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

“The bottom line is: it’s going to feel pretty brutal out there,” Shaffer said.

(credit: CBS)

The Twin Cities is not in the wind chill warning area. However, the metro, southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin are under a wind chill advisory. On Saturday morning, it’s expected to fee like 20 below zero in Minneapolis.

According to Shaffer, temperatures in the Twin Cities won’t climb above zero on New Year’s Day. The story for Sunday looks to be pretty much the same, if only slightly warmer.

“It’s quite possible that we could spend nearly 40 consecutive hours below zero,” Shaffer said, describing the weekend forecast.

Those braving the cold to watch the NHL Winter Classic at Target Field on Saturday will need to seriously bundle up. When the puck drops at 6 p.m., the mercury in Minneapolis is expected to be around 6 below zero. Factoring in wind chill, it’ll feel like 20 below zero.

According to Dr. Scott Cline, of St. Cloud Hospital, once wind chill factors drop below -15, frostbite and injury can occur on exposed skin in 30 minutes. The colder it gets, the quicker frostbite can set in.

“People need to be aware when they start getting symptoms,” he said. “You start feeling your hands and feet, cold and then when they are numb and tingly and you can’t feel them anymore, that’s when you need to get yourself in a safer situation.”

Looking ahead, temperatures look to rebound back into the 20s on Monday. The warmth looks to continue until Wednesday, when a system could bring the next chance of snow. After that, it looks like Minnesota will see another shot of arctic air.

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