Minnesota Weather: Cabin Fever Builds As Twin Cities Schools Cancel Classes Again
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – School administrators in Minnesota are moving to cancel classes for Thursday as another morning of extreme cold is in the forecast.
Around noontime Wednesday, the Anoka-Hennepin School District, the state's largest district, announced that its schools will be closed Thursday due to the frigid cold.
However, as conditions are expected to improve Thursday afternoon, after-school and evening activities for high schoolers are still on schedule. Classes are expected to resume Friday.
On Wednesday afternoon, Minneapolis Public Schools announced its schools will be closed on Thursday as well. All activities will be canceled, too. MPS says schools and buildings will reopen Friday.
RELATED: School Closings
St. Paul Public Schools followed suit, canceling classes Thursday and most after-school activities and programs.
Roseville Public Schools will also be closed Thursday.
Many students in Minnesota have been out of school for a three consecutive days. On Monday, classes were canceled in the Twin Cities due to an overnight snowstorm. After that, many schools closed Tuesday and Wednesday as a blast of arctic air descended on the state.
At the Dwyer house, a trio of rambunctious boys ages ten and younger are battling it out in the living room in the form of knee hockey. The sound of slap shots and energized shouts fill the air. If you take those noises and put them on repeat, that might be the real storm some parents are weathering this week.
Even these boys know mom needs a break.
"I think she kind of likes [having us kids around], but kind of doesn't like it," said 10-year-old Luke Dwyer. "Sometimes we're really chaotic and I don't think she really likes that."
A visit from neighbors helps. Parents Timothy Knaak and his wife Dawn Lindblom stopped by the house with their two kids.
"Lots of crafts, lots of coloring, lots of making things," said Knaak of his past three days watching over his kids.
With school cancelled, his job luckily lets him work from home -- but that has its own challenges.
"Since I got a 3 year old and a 6 year old, I haven't been able to properly work from home. So I will be probably taking a couple days of vacation to make up for helping out with [the kids],"Knaak said.
Lindblom also just returned Wednesday from conference that was out of town.
"I feel very fortunate that my husband did such a great job with these guys while I was gone," she said.
A third-grade teacher, Lindblom gets the day off as well. It's a perk she doesn't take for granted.
"I was thinking a lot about my students and some of the families that just don't have that luxury of taking time off," she said.
The beat goes on for these families Thursday. To fight the cabin fever, they're heading out for a trip to the local YMCA. One by one, not necessarily in a coordinated fashion, the five kids get suited up in their boots and winter gear before the quick run out to the van.
The cold hurts now, but warmth is just a few days away. Friday appears to be the only day of week when school won't be cancelled, and temperatures are expected to soar above freezing Saturday.
"This weekend it's going to change. It's not forever," Knaak said. "I think knowing that is very helpful."
While the cold air is expected to move out of Minnesota on Thursday, the morning forecast still looks to be bitterly cold.
In the Twin Cities, temperatures are expected to plunge to around 27 below zero, cold enough to shatter a daily low temperature record that's stood for 130 years.
