Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Barron, Wisconsin

2014-01-05 to 2014-01-08 · Barron, Wisconsin

Event narrative

Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions. A 76 year old woman walked away from an assisted living facility in Barron early on January 8 and succumbed to the cold that morning.

Wider weather episode

The coldest wind chills in many years moved across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest the week of January 5th, 2014. Temperatures dropped into the 20s and 30s below zero range and with wind speeds around 10 to 20 mph, wind chill values plummeted to 40 to 55 degrees below zero. The worst wind chill values occurred Sunday night (January 5) and Monday morning (January 6) when the core of the coldest air moved across Minnesota and Wisconsin. A 76 year old woman walked away from an assisted living facility in Barron early on January 8 and succumbed to the cold that morning. Wind chill warnings were in effect across the entire region.

The following are some of the lowest wind chill readings during the two day period.

New Richmond, (St. Croix County), -50.

Cumberland, (Barron County), -50.

Ladysmith, (Rusk County), -49.

Stanley, (Chippewa County), -49.

Menomonie, (Dunn County), -48.

Osceola, (Polk County), -48.

River Falls, (Pierce County), -46.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 482300. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.