Extreme cold warning

Brrr! Texas and Minnesota Brace for a Cold Snap that Makes Santa's Workshop Look Cozy!

Extreme Cold Warnings sweep across Texas and Minnesota! Stay warm and discover why taking care of that long-ignored winter coat is a must this week!

This week, a big chill is hitting parts of Texas and Minnesota, and folks are bracing for dangerously cold temperatures that have the potential to make even polar bears shiver! An Extreme Cold Warning has been issued across North and Central Texas, with wind chills plummeting as low as 8 below zero. The National Weather Service emphasizes the importance of precautionary measures as hypothermia and frostbite become real threats for those with exposed skin. This blast of frigid air has Texans questioning their choice of a thin jacket over their trusty winter coat.

Minnesota is not taking the cold lightly either, facing its own set of Extreme Cold Warnings. The state is preparing for dangerously low wind chills that could reach a frosty 46 below zero, causing frostbite on exposed skin in less than ten minutes! Residents are gathering up winter gear that maybe hasn’t seen the light of day since last winter, dusting off anything with a hood to fend off this Arctic onslaught.

In anticipation of this intense cold snap, ERCOT is gearing up for potential power supply issues, ensuring that Texas's energy grid can handle the peak demand that colder weather will bring. Locals are encouraged to check on their heating systems at home and ensure they have sufficient blankets available—because who wants to end up wearing all the winter gear at once?

With everyone feeling the chill, social media has been buzzing with winter preparation tips, cozy recipes to warm up your kitchen, and humorous memes about the weather. Ironically, while many people will be stuck indoors, this cold snap typically brings out the inner adventurer. Who wouldn’t want to snuggle in a blanket, while drinking hot cocoa near a roaring fireplace while sharing childhood memories of building snowmen?

As a fun little nugget to warm those frigid thoughts, did you know that the United States experiences temperatures of 20-30 degrees below zero on average during winter? That's colder than some parts of Antarctica during certain periods of the year! Oh, and speaking of extreme weather, remember that the coldest temperature ever recorded in Minnesota was a jaw-dropping -60 degrees Fahrenheit in 1996. So, if you think this winter chill is harsh, just think of Minnesotans—fondly remembering the good ol’ days of *mild* winter temperatures!