Extreme Cold in Bemidji, Minnesota

In Bemidji, Minnesota, the New Year nearly froze in its tracks on the last night of 2017. Weather warnings advised against temperatures that were about to drop to the -40 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit range with wind chill, a cold that can deliver frostbite in under ten minutes of exposure in even slightly windy conditions.

Temperature forecasts for New Years Eve, 2017.

Many began to worry if the dramatic decrease in temperature was a repeat of 2014, when a so-called 'Polar Vortex' swept the midwest to the northeast in record-breaking freezing temperatures. Minnesota's location in the middle of the continent leaves it susceptible to a wide range of weather variation, often erring dipping far below zero in the winter. Many Minnesota school children remember January 6, 2014 as the day when they got to stay home from school and throw boiling water out of cups to watch it freeze in mid-air. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton canceled school for the entire state that day, worried that extreme cold could quickly cause frostbite, among issues with idling school bus engines. 

Cold winter conditions are so commonplace in northern Minnesota that their capability of causing severe harm are sometimes ignored. During that cold snap in 2014, a six-year-old girl was found frozen to death early in the morning. She was dressed in a puffy coat, hat, and mittens, but even that isn't nearly enough to survive the cold. Cases like these happen more often than one would expect, under a variety of circumstances. Another girl, college-aged, misplaced her keys and was stranded outside of her apartment in severe cold, she suffered the same fate.

When temperatures began dropping again in 2018 around New Year's weather stations and authorities began advising against spending more than a few minutes outside, especially at night when the temperatures drop even lower. Sensitivity to cold reduced by alcohol, especially around a popular holiday, was a growing worry as temperatures dropped. 

Northerners bundle up in preparation for plummeting temperatures, leaving no skin exposed. 

Under such conditions, weather advisories suggest all citizens wear loose layers, and lots of them. Air pockets trap in heat. It's even more important to stay dry, wet clothing will cool faster and pull heat from your skin. The cold is also especially dangerous for those with respiratory issues, such as asthma, or habitual smokers. Cold air can constrict airways and cause wheezing and shortness of breath, some cases may require medical assistance.

When temperatures drop this far below zero, it's best to stay indoors if you can! Even a short period of exposure to extreme cold can be harmful if any skin is left exposed.

 Works Cited:

Pioneer Staff Report. "Region Under Wind Chill Warning". The Bemidji Pioneer, Dec. 30 2017. https://www.almanac.com/windchill-chart-united-states

"Windchill Chart for the United States". The Old Farmer's Almanac. https://www.almanac.com/windchill-chart-united-states. NOAA

Minnesota State Climatology Office. "Arctic Blast: January 5-7 2014". http://climateapps.dnr.state.mn.us/doc/journal/arctic_blast140105_07.htm. Minnesota DNR.

Bemidji Police. "Girl, 6, Found Dead in Extreme Cold in Bemidji". https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/02/28/police-girl-6-found-dead-in-extreme-cold-in-bemidji/. The Bemidji Pioneer.