Cold start to Friday as wind chill dips to more than 20 below in Twin Cities

(FOX 9) - Minnesota had a cold start to Friday, to say the least, with a wind chill of around 23 below zero in the Twin Cities and as low as 50 below zero in Ely. 

Although the winds have relaxed and wind chill advisories have expired across southern Minnesota, it will still remain very cold for the rest of the day.

Highs will climb slightly above zero Friday afternoon, but a light breeze of only five miles per hour will keep chills around 5 below. 

MORE: Metro Transit plans for more riders seeking shelter during bitter freeze

We will climb back to around 11 degrees for Saturday afternoon with patchy sunshine. We have a shot at accumulating snow late Sunday into Monday as we stay well below average. 

CARE FOR CARS IN COLD

The frigid temperatures can create some very expensive problems, particularly for your car. 

The first clue could just be trying to start your car. An older battery that works fine when it is warmer can fail during a deep freeze. Experts say even new batteries have to work that much harder to turn over the engine, especially when cold weather turns oil to molasses. 

If you have an older or weak battery, your chances of failure go up. 

It is also a good idea to keep an emergency kit in your car in case you break down. 

PROTECT YOUR PETS

In Minnesota, it is the law to provide adequate shelter for your pets from the cold. Experts say a good rule of thumb is that if you're cold, your pet is likely cold, too. 

The City of Minneapolis released the following reminders for protecting your pets from extreme temperatures: 

• Keep pets in proper shelter and out of direct exposure to the elements. 
• Never leave pets unattended in a parked car for any period of time. 
• Like people, cats and dogs are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia. 
• Leaving pets outside in the cold can result in citations of $500 or more, seizure of the animal, or the death of the animal from the cold. 
• Anyone who sees an animal outside without shelter or in an unattended car can call Minneapolis Animal Care & Control immediately (311 in Minneapolis). If they believe the situation to be life-threatening and the animal is nonresponsive, they should call 911. 

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