Grocery stores, businesses close early due to bitter cold
(FOX 9) - Grocery stores and other businesses in the Twin Cities metro are closing early or closed completely Tuesday and Wednesday due to the dangerously cold wind chills, which can cause frostbite in under five minutes.
Lunds & Byerlys and Kowalski’s Markets announced Tuesday they will close their stores at 7 p.m., several hours earlier than normal, on both Tuesday and Wednesday for the safety of their employees.
The Wedge and Linden Hills co-ops in Minneapolis will close at 6 p.m. on Tuesday and will be closed completely on Wednesday.
Other grocery store chains with locations in the Twin Cities and local businesses may be closed as well. Most are updating customers through social media.
Nearly every school district in the metro is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday and after-school activities and events have been canceled. For a full list of school closings, visit fox9.com/closings.
Many colleges and universities in the area have canceled classes on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.
At 11 a.m. Tuesday, the metro had a wind chill of 29 degrees below zero. Air temperatures are expected to get as low as 20 degrees below zero Tuesday with a wind chill of 45 below. It will get even colder on Wednesday with an air temperature of 30 below likely and wind chills dropping to 55 below.
MORE: Timeline for the bitter blast in the Twin Cities metro
At wind chills of 40 to 50 below zero, frostbite is possible in less than five minutes. The best way to avoid freezing your extremities is to wear proper winter clothing and minimize the time you spend outdoors.
Stay up to date during this week's winter weather by downloading the FOX 9 Weather App. It has the latest temperatures, snow totals, forecasts and school closings 24/7.