MILWAUKEE - Another arctic blast is expected to impact the Upper Midwest by the end of the week. This second round will be even colder and potentially more dangerous.
Extreme cold watch to be in effect
What we know:
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold watch late Thursday, Jan 22 at night through early Saturday, Jan. 24. A wind chill warning has been issued for northern Minnesota and northeastern North Dakota where wind chills can be 56 degrees below zero.
Since this event is still several days away, a watch has been issued, but as we get closer to the end of the week, this will likely be changed to an extreme cold warning if forecasted wind chills remain on track.
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The main difference is an extreme cold watch is supposed to prepare the public for the potential of dangerous cold that makes frostbite and hypothermia possible. An extreme cold warning is issued when dangerous cold air is likely, creating a more certain threat of frostbite and hypothermia.
Wind chill danger
By the numbers:
Wind chills drop 20 to 30 below zero starting Thursday night. They drop even more by Friday morning with wind chills that can be 40 degrees below zero. This is very dangerous and can cause frostbite in as little as 10 minutes.
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Over the past five years, the coldest wind chill was -37°F in December 2022. Most years, Milwaukee experiences wind chills in the 20 to 30 below range during the months of January or February.
So how common is it to have wind chills 40 below zero or colder? This has happened about 12% (five times) of the time over the past forty-three years! The last time wind chills were this cold was back in January 2019.
Despite the dangerous wind chills that will arrive on Friday, high temperatures will also be in the negatives, which isn't too common for Milwaukee either. 2019 was the last time air this cold reached the upper Midwest. The last time a high temperature was below zero was on January 31, 2019, with a high of -2°F. The last time a high temperature in Milwaukee was at least five below zero or colder was on January 30, 2019. The last time wind chills were forty below or colder was on January 30, 2019 with a recorded wind chill of -52°F.
Sub-zero wind chills are favorable to remain over the weekend and into the start of next week.
The FOX6 Weather Experts will be tracking this closely to keep you safe.
The Source: Information from this post is from the FOX6 Weather Experts and the National Weather Service.