Bitter arctic air and a biting north wind are expected to combine for a frigid start to the new year.
A wind chill advisory is in effect until noon New Year's Day for the Brainerd lakes area. Wind chills of 30 to 35 below are expected with the coldest wind chills expected during the morning Tuesday, Jan. 1.
"Bitterly cold temperatures combined with north winds around 10 to 15 mph will lead to dangerously cold wind chill values across northeast Minnesota. Anyone planning to venture outside for New Years Eve celebrations or outdoors, taking advantage of the recent snowfall on Tuesday morning, should be sure to cover all exposed skin. At these wind chill values frostbite is possible in as little as 10 minutes," the National Weather Service reported. "... Light north
winds combined with frigid temperatures will lead to dangerously cold wind chill values of 25 to 40 below. The coldest wind chills will occur in north-central Minnesota."
The wind chill weather outlooks were issued just hours after a fresh snowfall added to the foot of snow already on the ground with back-to-back winter storm warnings issued for central and northern Minnesota. About 2-7 inches of snow fell across Minnesota Monday on top of more than a foot of snow last week. About 5 inches of snow was reported near Brainerd with totals of 6-7 inches reported just to the north, south and west of Brainerd and Baxter. A light snow was reported before midnight Sunday extending past 8 a.m. Monday. Temperatures began dropping from 25 degrees at midnight to the upper teens during the day Monday with a wind chill in the single digits as people were once again back at shovels and snowblowers.
Wadena, Todd, Morrison, Cass, Crow Wing, Aitkin and Mille Lacs counties were all in a winter storm warning during the early morning hours of New Year's Eve. As the snow passed, the National Weather Service in Duluth issued a wind chill warning for Wadena and Cass counties with a wind chill advisory for Crow Wing, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Aitkin counties, stretching north to include the tip of the Arrowhead. A blizzard warning was in effect Monday for far western Minnesota extending in the Dakotas.
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Temperatures were expected to plummet New Year's Eve as skies cleared and arctic air moved into the region and stay for the start of 2019.
"Very cold wind chills of 25 to 30 below zero will likely develop across central, north-central, and northeast Minnesota again Tuesday night," the weather service reported.
But unlike other years when the cold could be expected to last multiple days on end, temperatures are expected to moderate after air temps drop to 14 below Tuesday night. By Thursday, temperatures should climb into the low 30s and may reach a balmy 35 by Friday and Saturday, giving residents warm days to do any additional snow removal.
