Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in Faribault, Minnesota

As the Arctic airmass shifted to the east, return flow developed and dropped wind chill values below -35F for several hours Wednesday morning.

A large area of Arctic high pressure built across the Upper Midwest from Monday, January 24, through Tuesday, January 25th. The center of the high moved across the region Tuesday, with return flow developing Tuesday night and Wednesday the 26th. There were two periods where the wind chill values fell below -35F for several hours across portions of central, west central, southwest, and south central Minnesota. The first occurred with the initial ridge building across the region Monday, and Monday night. The second occurred with winds strengthen on the return flow Tuesday night, and into Wednesday. The worst and longest time frame of wind chill values between -35F to -42F were felt Tuesday night, and early Wednesday as return flow strengthen and temperatures were still near -20F.

A few of the coldest wind chills during this time frame:

-42F at Morris.

-41F at Fairmont.

-40F at Benson.

-40F at Sauk Centre.

-40F at Mankato.

-40F at New Ulm.