Wind chill: -33
“Skin-freezing cold” may not be the scientific term. But the dangerously cold weather that settled over the Dakotas on Thursday was just that — cold enough to freeze skin within minutes.By: AP, The Associated Press
- Cold dog
“Skin-freezing cold” may not be the scientific term. But the dangerously cold weather that settled over the Dakotas on Thursday was just that — cold enough to freeze skin within minutes.
The National Weather Service issued wind chill advisories and warnings throughout both North Dakota and South Dakota into this morning. Forecasters said wind chills in some areas could drop as low as minus 55 degrees — prime conditions for frostbite. Winds were expected to reach up to 30 mph.
Many schools in South Dakota either called off classes Thursday or started late.
Mitchell’s public and private schools called off Thursday classes on Wednesday night as the vicious cold approached.
The daytime low in Mitchell was 7 below, recorded at 9:53 a.m. The coldest wind chill was also recorded at that time, as it felt like 33 below on bare skin at that point, with a northwest wind of 24 mph dropping conditions into the danger range.
That frigid figure was matched at 11:53 a.m., when the low was 6 below, but the wind picked up to 26 mph.
In Sioux Falls, the wind chill was about minus 33 at 10 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. The real temperature was minus 8. In Watertown, about 100 miles north of Sioux Falls, wind chills reached minus 45 degrees.
A winter weather advisory also was posted for the northern Black Hills of western South Dakota early Thursday, with up to 8 inches of snow expected.
North Dakota, though colder, didn’t have as many school closings. The capitol city of Bismarck was minus 13 degrees at about noon. Devils Lake, Minot and Williston each were minus 17. With wind chill, it felt closer to minus 40 degrees, but most schools stayed open.
The forecast calls for much warmer temperatures in both states by the weekend as the arctic air moves out.
The Daily Republic contributed to this report.
Tags: weather, news, updates, winter, cold
More from around the web
RSS Feeds