Snowstorm bumper cars are no longer a concern for now, a weather expert says.
But in the wake of the recent storm, which dumped a significant amount of snow on the metro, residents have another worry: potentially perilous cold.
“We had a long duration light to moderate snowstorm,” said Jake Beitlich, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.“It snowed 36-48 hours and while it wasn’t really heavy snow and the winds weren’t strong, we still saw 5 to 6 inches of snow across the south metro and 4 to 5 inches across the north metro.”
There aren’t any more significant snow storms in the next few weeks, but the big thing is the cold temperatures, he said.
“Cold air is moving in and with the fresh snow pack that is a recipe for really cold nights,” he said.
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Monday morning will be “chilly” with temperatures in the mid single-digits in the Metro and outside the Twin Cities, the mercury will drop to zero or slightly below zero, he said.
A strong chill is expected Wednesday night where everyone in the metro will be below zero and cities outside the metro will potentially see 10 to 15 degrees below zero.
Because of the frigid temperatures, Beitlich said it was a good idea for motorists to keep a jacket and hat in their vehicles, and have their phones charged.
“We said winter was going to be moving in — and it has,” he said.
Because of the cold, residents should expect to see the snow that has fallen sticking around, making the likelihood of a white Christmas a possibility.
“We are leaning towards it,” he said. “The odds are in your favor.”
