Minnesota's mid-December deep freeze hit new depths Tuesday, and there's still much more winter weather ahead.
As temperatures plunge, Mpls. eager to open rinks
Another snowstorm is in the forecast for Friday.
December 15, 2016 at 2:27PM
More snow has been added to the National Weather Service forecast for Friday and Saturday.
"Snowfall accumulations in excess of 6 inches will be possible," the Weather Service said in a hazardous weather outlook posted Tuesday afternoon.
At 8 a.m. Tuesday, no communities in the state were warmer than 0. Winona, Detroit Lakes, Albert Lea and a few others took the honors with the state's warmest temperature: 0.
In the Twin Cities area, Eden Prairie registered 11 below for the metro's coldest locale, the NWS said. With the wind, it felt more like nearly 30 below. Tuesday's high temperatures were in the upper single digits under sunny skies.
Statewide, New Ulm was the chilliest before dawn, reporting 15 below.
The extreme cold is firming up ice on lakes all across the state, making ice fishing and skating better options for anyone trying to turn a negative temperature into a positive experience.
While the criteria used by observers can vary from lake to lake, the DNR says "ice in" should ideally be declared once the entire lake is frozen over for the first time.
On three other popular Minneapolis lakes — Lake of the Isles, Nokomis and Powderhorn — maintenance staff members have been measuring the ice daily, "and as soon as it's thick enough, the [hockey] boards will be set up and the rinks will open," said Minneapolis Park and Recreation spokeswoman Robin Smothers. "We are hoping that this will happen by end of the week."
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
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