Brutal Storm Forecast Overnight
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester area, along with most of southern Minnesota, much of Wisconsin and northeast Iowa, remain in the bullseye for what forecasters are describing as a powerful and dangerous storm system.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning through 3 PM Monday that will be followed by a wind chill watch from 6 PM Monday through 9 AM on Thursday. A potentially record-setting low-pressure system is forecast to deliver a clipper storm with heavy snow followed by what could be the coldest weather to hit this region in over 20 years. The most up to date forecasting models have Rochester in an area that's expected to see at least 8-inches of snow by the time the storm exits the region. Even higher amounts are predicted for areas of Wisconsin.
What could follow is a blast of arctic air that could push the air temperatures to nearly 30-degrees below zero by the middle of the week, while the wind chill readings could fall to almost 60-degrees below zero before warmer air arrives at the end of the week. The National Weather Service warns the conditions will be life-threatening for the unprepared and that frostbite could occur in as little as 10 minutes on exposed skin.