Grand Forks is ringing in 2013 with a chill, according to the National Weather Service office here.
The weather service issued a hazardous weather warning for New Year's Eve into this morning, with wind chills projected to be 25 below in some areas.
Although it will be partly sunny today in Grand Forks, with a high near 15, the wind chill could bring that down to about 20 degrees below zero. Compare that to last year's first day, when the high was 30 degrees and the low was 13, said Jeff Makowski, a meteorologist with the city's weather service office.
"(Today) looks like a fairly typical day for early January," he said. "We're not really seeing much in the way of precipitation."
Average highs for early January are 15 to 20 degrees, while average lows are just below zero, he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Parts of northwest Minnesota were projected to be the coldest in the region today. Park Rapids, Minn., and Bemidji were forecast to reach 15 below by early this morning.
The weather service estimates the rest of the week in Grand Forks will remain typical for January, with highs in the single digits that will pick up to near 24 on Sunday. There's a slight chance for snow Wednesday, projected to produce up to an inch at most, Makowski said.
Here's the forecast:
• Tonight: A 50 percent chance of snow, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with temperatures rising to around 17 by 5 a.m.
• Wednesday: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a high near 21.
• Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low near 4 below.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 9.
• Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low near 4.
ADVERTISEMENT
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 21.
• Friday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low near 7.
• Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 22.
• Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low near 8.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 25.
• Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 14.
Call Johnson at (701) 787-6736; (800) 477-6572, ext. 1736; or send email to jjohnson@gfherald.com .
