Another day stuck below 0 in store for Twin Cities

For all those Minnesotans who wished Christmas could last more than one day — thanks a lot.

Temperatures are forecast to remain locked below zero Tuesday in virtually every reporting precinct in what marketers are trying to rebrand as the Bold North, right on the nippy heels of the coldest Christmas in more than two decades in the Twin Cities area.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is projecting a high in the metro area of minus-2 degrees, with stiff winds pushing the "feels like" factor down to 25-below. Well, at least that's warmer than Christmas Day's high of 3-below, territory not reached since 1996 (a high of minus-9).

The NWS's windchill advisory blankets all of central and southern Minnesota and creeps into western Wisconsin as well.

In Moorhead, park and recreation officials said nay scheduled sleigh rides for the day, citing the extreme cold. The mercury was at minus-15 at 9 a.m.

Due to dangerously low temps, Sleigh Rides have been cancelled for Tuesday, December 26. We hope to be open the rest of the week, if the weather cooperates.

For any Twin Citians fretting the freeze of a minus-8 wake-up call, just think of your fellow Minnesotans as daylight drew near Tuesday.

In the category of it could be worse, here are some 7 a.m. readings: 26 below in Fosston, minus-31 in Crane Lake, 27 below in Ely, minus-24 in Staples, 22 below in Moose Lake, minus-16 in Worthington.

An hour later, the deep freeze's grip got even tighter: Crystal dropped to 10-below, for the coldest spot in the Twin Cities, while Crane Lake took statewide honors at minus-33.

It was quite the horse race for claiming the "warmest" spot at 8 a.m. in Minnesota, with 8-below readings at the Twin Cities airport, St. Paul, South St. Paul, Olivia, Glencoe, Stanton and Winona.

And let's not even talk about windchills. OK, here's one: 36 below in Crane Lake.

The overnight low in the Twin Cities should crack double digits and bottom out at 12-below.

Now, about those school closings. Silver lining time: Schools are on winter break, but many working stiffs were back on the job Tuesday, while many shoppers were contemplating returning unwanted gifts.

Peering out from under the covers, the weather service says the metro area can expect snow to enter the mix Wednesday night, with 1 to 3 inches possible, then another 1 to 2 inches on Thursday.

Thursday's high could get to 12 above, the NWS is forecasting, but then it's expected to retreat back into negative territory by week's end.