Douglas: Single digits Sunday, then a deeper freeze

When I want to evoke a sense of fear, awe and astonishment with friends across the nation I mention Minnesota’s subzero weather. “How do you live up there?” they ask, usually in a high-pitched, accusatory tone. I assure them that we still plug our faces into warming receptacles and use NASA-approved spacesuits to get to the mall. “We have sturdy furnaces and dress in layers. When it goes below zero we put on long pants.”

The Twin Cities metro area sees an average of 22 subzero nights every winter, according to 30-year climate data. According to Mark Seeley, about one year in four, February delivers more subzero nights than January. This may be one of those years. By the way, MSP enjoyed 12 nights below zero last month.

Expect single digits Sunday; temperatures may not climb above zero on Monday with lows of minus 10 to minus 17 degrees the next three nights, with lows of 30 below zero up north. Windchills the next few days will be in the danger zone (minus 20 to minus 45).

Temperatures in the 30s and 40s return last week of February, with a little rain a week from now. Crazy.