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Feb 5, 2007 8:11 pm US/Central
Subzero Temperatures Stretch Across MN
St. Paul (AP) ―
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The frigid weather prompted the closing of about 20 charter schools in the Twin Cities. (File)
AP
Minnesota remained in a deep freeze for the third straight day Monday as overnight temperatures dropped to lower than 40 below zero in the northeastern part of the state.
The chill prompted several school closings across the state as officials worried about stalled buses stranding children.
By 7:45 a.m., the temperature had dropped to 42 below zero in Embarrass, a small town in the northeastern part of the state, the National Weather Service reported. It dropped to 38 below in Hallock in far northwestern Minnesota and 30 below in International Falls on the northern border.
However, the cold started to abate Monday afternoon, ending the stretch of temperatures at or below zero in the Twin Cities at 63 hours, the state climatologist's office said. The Twin Cities temperatures rose back to zero by 2 p.m. and to 1 above at 3 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. According to the climatology office, it was the Twin Cities' longest stretch of temperatures at or below zero since an 82-hour period Jan. 28-31, 2004.
Wade Himes, who ate breakfast at Shorelunch Cafe in International Falls, said residents were dealing with the weather the best they could.
"We get up and go to work, and people come and see us. I don't think anything changes that much. (You) just dress warm," said Himes, 69, a veterinarian.
The frigid weather prompted the closing of about 20 charter schools in the Twin Cities. School officials said they were concerned that some buses might not start because of the cold, stranding students outside. Many charter schools serve broader geographic areas than public schools, heightening those concerns.
Some public schools also shuttered for the day, including those in Bemidji, Winona and McGregor.
Tom Hey, president of the Minnesota School Bus Operators Association, said the cold weather can cause gelling in diesel fuel lines but that he hadn't heard of any problems Monday. He operates a fleet of 54 buses that serve the Jackson and Marshall school districts in southwestern Minnesota, and his buses operated on schedule.
In Minneapolis, Satya Seshadri, 24, waited for a bus along Franklin Avenue after oversleeping and missing her ride to class at the University of Minnesota.
Seshadri, who had pulled the hood of her jacket over her hat and neck warmer, said she was coping with the chill by "just staying inside most of the time and trying to get in and out as quick as possible."
"I just got a puppy and she's not liking it very much, so (she's) running around as fast as possible and back in," she said.
Xcel Energy asked its customers in the region to conserve electricity for the next few days to reduce the strain on its power grid.
It's not just people who heat with electricity who are using more power, Xcel spokesman Thomas Hoen said. Other people are also using more electricity because they're staying indoors and cooking more, using more appliances and keeping their lights on longer.
Xcel asked that customers turn off unneeded lights, computers and appliances; set thermostats to 68 degrees or below when at home; turn thermostats to 64 before leaving home; and delay using major appliances until after 8 p.m. when demand for power is lower.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
