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Cold weather welcomed for MN winter activities
The recent cold snap might be uncomfortable for some, but below-freezing conditions are welcome for businesses that rely on winter weather. FOX 9's Rob Olson has the full report.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The coldest air of the season has settled into Minnesota and the surrounding region with subzero wind chills and frigid temperatures.
Bitterly cold in Minnesota
What to know: The surge of cold air on Wednesday brought slowly falling temperatures and a bitter feeling to the air with strong northwest winds.
Thursday morning started off on a very cold note. The morning low temperatures in southern Minnesota bottomed out in the single digits below zero, with teens to 20s below in northern Minnesota.
By the numbers: Here are the lowest temperatures and wind chills across Minnesota on Thursday morning:
Northern Minnesota:
- Ely: 26 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 38 degrees
- International Falls: 22 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 38 degrees
- Bemidji: 22 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 38 degrees
- Hibbing: 19 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 41 degrees
- Duluth: 17 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 40 degrees
- Detroit Lakes: 17 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 34 degrees
- Hinckley: 15 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 28 degrees
- Brainerd: 13 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 30 degrees
- Alexandria: 11 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 30 degrees
- Grand Marais: 6 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 40 degrees
Central Minnesota:
- Cambridge: 15 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 28 degrees
- Saint Cloud: 12 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 28 degrees
- Morris: 9 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 25 degrees
- Willmar: 8 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 25 degrees
- MSP: 7 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 28 degrees
- Hutchinson: 5 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 23 degrees
Southern Minnesota:
- Red Wing: 8 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 21 degrees
- Windom: 8 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 20 degrees
- Owatonna: 8 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 26 degrees
- Rochester: 7 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 27 degrees
- Mankato: 6 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 24 degrees
- Faribault: 6 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 24 degrees
- New Ulm: 6 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 19 degrees
- Marshall: 4 degrees below zero, wind chill of minus 20 degrees
First subzero temperatures of the season
Big picture view: This cold snap has brought our first subzero temperatures to MSP airport this year. This is a little earlier than the last four years, but it is fairly average. Climate stats show that the 30-year average of first subzero temperature in the Twin Cities is on Dec. 16.
Last year was an exceptionally warm winter and goes down as a memorable one in that aspect.
So far this season we’ve recorded a coldest temperature of minus 7 degrees, which occurred on Thursday morning. Our coldest temperature for the winter in 2023-24 was just negative 8 degrees.
Warmer temperatures coming to MN
What's next: Things will start to warm up heading into the weekend. Temperatures will start rising on Friday morning, and keep heating into Saturday afternoon. From Saturday through Monday, temperatures will be in the 30s.
The average temperature for this time of year is 30 degrees.
Here's a look at your seven-day forecast: