Minneapolis and St. Paul schools open Thursday despite wind chills nearing -35 degree threshold
Wind chills in the eastern parts of Minnesota could reach -25 to -35 degrees below zero. (FOX 9)
(FOX 9) - Minneapolis and St. Paul schools say they will remain open on Thursday despite extremely low wind chills that are expected to take feels-like temperatures well below zero. See an active list of school closings at fox9.com/closings.
Temperatures plunged Wednesday evening as winds started to pick up across the state. A wind chill warning is in effect for areas in western Minnesota while an advisory is in place for areas to the east.
While some schools have already announced they will close on Thursday, both Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools expect to keep doors open.
In Minneapolis, school officials say the wind chills aren't expected to meet their low-temperature threshold of -35 degrees.
"MPS will be OPEN tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 13, and staff and students should expect frigid temperatures at bus stops in the morning," a tweet from the district read. "Wind chills are forecast to reach -29 degrees, which does not meet the MPS closing threshold of -35 wind chill."
School officials are urging parents to take precautions to make sure their kids are bundled up. Minneapolis leaders also recommend parents and students use the "Here Comes the Bus" app that allows them to track their bus via GPS. In a message, St. Paul schools included a list of recommended clothing to keep kids warm.
Minneapolis officials say if parents do choose to keep their kids home, they should follow normal absence procedures.