After a month of temperatures regularly dipping, and sometimes plummeting below zero, officials warned Friday that the worst is yet to come.
The National Weather Service warned that a powerful arctic cold front would usher in the coldest air mass Wisconsin has seen in years, with near-record lows and winds of 10 to 20 mph.
Wind chills are predicted to drop down to as much as 35 below zero Saturday night and could get as low as 55 below zero Sunday night through Tuesday morning.
Health officials in Shawano and Menominee counties warned residents to be prepared for the next several days of brutally cold weather ahead, and the Menominee Tribe in conjunction with Menominee County announced Friday that emergency heating shelters would be available Sunday and Monday.
“The Menominee Tribal Emergency Government and Emergency Personnel are committed to maintaining the health, welfare and safety for all members of the Menominee Community,” Menominee Tribal Chairman Craig Corn said.
Tribal emergency personnel would also be on duty to maintain health, welfare and safety on the reservation, he said.
The following buildings will serve as emergency heating shelters for those impacted by the frigid temperatures:
• Menominee Nation Casino Convention Center, Keshena, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday and Monday.
• Keshena Primary School, Keshena, 5-10 p.m. Sunday and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday.
• Menominee Indian Middle School, Neopit, 5-10 p.m. Sunday and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday.
The deep freeze in Wisconsin was already breaking records ahead of the weekend, even before the coldest air of the season arrives. A record low temperature was set in Green Bay on Friday morning, where the mercury dipped to minus 18. The National Weather Service says that tops the 17 below mark last recorded in 1979. Antigo also set a record Friday at minus 25.
The coldest air of the season is predicted for Sunday night through Tuesday.
Milwaukee, Madison, Kenosha and Racine public schools will be closed Monday due to the extreme cold. Gov. Scott Walker is monitoring the situation and considering whether to cancel classes statewide. In Minnesota, Gov. Mark Dayton said all public schools statewide would be closed Monday.
Life-threatening temperatures that could linger through Tuesday, according to the weather service. Lows on Sunday night could range from minus 10 to minus 25, with wind chills of minus 30 to minus 40. On Monday, highs will still be below zero, ranging from minus 5 to minus 15.
Wisconsin Emergency Management says those conditions could lead to major trauma in a matter of minutes. It says frostbite can occur on exposed skin in less than 10 minutes, and people are especially vulnerable to hypothermia, which is marked by shivering and confusion.
The death of a man found on a sidewalk outside his Milwaukee home Friday could be the result of bitterly cold temperatures that were expected to plunge even further over the weekend, officials said.
The 66-year-old man was found on the sidewalk Friday morning with a core body temperature of 45 degrees, according to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office. He was pronounced dead shortly before 8 a.m., authorities said. An autopsy to determine an official cause of death was pending. Overnight temperatures in Milwaukee were in the minus teens.
Officials encouraged residents to remain indoors if possible, or at least limit any outdoor activity.
“With low temperatures and even moderate wind, common outdoor activities can quickly become life threatening, even for those appropriately dressed for the outdoors,” said Jaime Bodden, health officer/director for Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department. “Exposed areas such as the nose and ears can freeze within 30 seconds with a wind chill factor of negative 30 degrees.”
Officials also encouraged those participating in outdoor winter activities such as ice fishing, snowmobiling, or skiing to be aware of the weather conditions and be properly dressed to protect themselves from the elements.
The extreme weather also poses a dangerous risk to animals, which should be brought indoors and given plenty of food and water.
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