An Arctic Blast has the U.S. in the deep freeze, but what does it really mean when your body starts to shiver? Tony Spitz has the details. Buzz60
The snow might have stopped, but the frigid temperatures aren't budging all weekend.
According to the National Weather Service Indianapolis, New Year's Day is expected to be one of the coldest days on record. And the service said new data shows it's threatening the official record coldest high temperature for Jan. 1, which was 2 degrees in 1928.
The service's detailed forecast is predicting a high near 4 degrees and a low of about -9 on Monday. The coldest wind chills will range from -25 to -15 degrees, and an advisory is in effect until 1 p.m. Tuesday.
So what exactly do those numbers mean? In just 30 minutes, exposed skin could be subject to frostbite, according to the service.
During peak party hours on New Year's Eve night, the wind chill could dip to -13. The high on Sunday is expected to be 11, and only a 20 percent chance of snow remains early Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
The forecast has already caused Downtown Indy to shorten its annual Georgia Street New Year's Eve celebration. The event will run from 10:30 p.m. to just after midnight instead of 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Saturday morning sat stubbornly in the teens, with the Indianapolis International Airport registering at 15 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The temperatures are expected to drop into the single digits by early this evening and then below zero later on. Frostbite-friendly wind chills will likely drop to between -10 and -20 degrees.
Fox59's John Dissauer pointed out a current streak of 139 hours of below-freezing temperatures.
The Indy Snow Force website said the city was out plowing roads Saturday morning, with main routes expected to be finished in less than two hours.
Snowfall in Indianapolis hovered around 2 inches Friday night, with Carmel seeing a little more than 3 inches, according to the National Weather Service and Fox59. On Saturday morning, Fox59 reported snowfall totals of 6 inches in Tipton, 4.3 in Anderson and 5.5 in Lafayette.
Traffic-related weather warnings were out in force Friday afternoon and night as slick roads and snow made it difficult for drivers. Weather might have contributed to a fatal crash at U.S. 231 and 256th Street in Hamilton County on Friday afternoon, where a driver crossed the median into southbound traffic.
► ENTERTAINMENT: 20 things to do on New Year’s Eve in Indianapolis
► WEATHER: Could you survive outdoors in this bitter cold? These people do day and night
► WATCH FOR THIS: A supermoon will light up the sky on Jan. 1
Call IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at (317) 444-7339. Follow her on Facebook,TwitterandInstagram.
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