Minnesota Weather: The Deep Freeze Is Almost Over, And Big Weekend Warm-Up Is Coming
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The worst is almost over.
The deep freeze that settled over Minnesota this week, dropping temperatures deep into the negative double digits, is set to begin moving out of the state Thursday, ushering in a big weekend warm up.
Meteorologist Matt Brickman says that residents in the Twin Cities woke up Thursday to temperatures around 23 below zero. In northern Minnesota, the mercury fell to 53 below in Cotton.
It's been a rough week for Cotton, MN. -56° on the 27th. -53° on the 31st. #mnwx pic.twitter.com/EDj9cPIE34
— Matt Brickman (@Matt_Brickman) January 31, 2019
Although winds were generally calm overnight, even light breezes could create wind chills as frigid as 60 degrees below zero. In such cold, frostbite can set in on exposed skin in just minutes. Indeed, hospitals in the Twin Cities have seen dozens of frostbite cases since the deep freeze descended on Minnesota.
RELATED: School Closings
School across the state, including the largest districts in the Twin Cities, cancelled classes for Thursday. For some students, this will be the fourth consecutive day of cancelled classes due to the week's snow and extreme cold.
While temperatures might fall a few degrees after sunrise Thursday, warming is expected to start in the morning hours. Additionally, the wind chill warning that's been in effect for the last few days is set to expire at 9 a.m.
Temperatures look to climb Thursday to one degree below zero. A cause for celebration, perhaps.
Good news! After this morning, wind chills will reach above -30F. Let the warming trend begin! #MNwx #WIwx pic.twitter.com/ulPilrZp8p
— NWS Twin Cities (@NWSTwinCities) January 31, 2019
On Friday, temperatures are expected to jump to 20 degrees in the Twin Cities, and even above freezing in southwestern Minnesota.
And the warming will continue well into the weekend.
Saturday will bring sunshine and highs well above freezing, reaching up 40 degrees in the Twin Cities. As such, it's been declared a Top 10 Weather Day. Expect some significant melting.
Super Bowl Sunday looks to be even warmer than Saturday, with highs shooting into the mid-40s in the metro, but it's also expected to bring rain showers.
The wet roads could become treacherous when a cold front moves in Sunday night, making for a slippery Monday commute. There's even a chance, Brickman says, that schools could close Monday due to extremely icy conditions.
