While many Wisconsin schools — including Madison College and the Madison Metropolitan School District — have already announced Tuesday closures due to the extreme cold, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is planning to “operate normally.”
That’s according to a weather update UW-Madison posted Monday afternoon to X and its Instagram Story.
Wind chills in the Madison area will be “dangerously cold” overnight into Tuesday, especially around the morning commute timeframe, according to Michaela Heeren, meteorologist for the Milwaukee/Sullivan National Weather Service.
More: With extremely cold temperatures and wind chills, which Wisconsin schools are closed Tuesday?
“UW-Madison plans to operate normally Tuesday and is encouraging students & employees to plan ahead for cold temperatures,” the school’s social media post said. “If you can’t make it to class or work, contact your instructor or supervisor to make alternate arrangements.”
The post linked to the school’s inclement weather policy for employees.
What is Tuesday’s weather forecast for the Madison area?
“We do have northwesterly breezes and we are expecting those winds to increase into the early morning hours,” Heeren said late Monday night.
Around 10:45 p.m., winds were at 10 mph in the Madison area, according to Heeren. Heading into the sunrise timeframe, gusts are expected to reach 15 to 20 mph.
Low temperatures overnight will be -15 degrees.
“With that stronger wind as temperatures continue to fall, we are anticipating wind chills to fall into the -30 to -35 range,” Heeren said. “Which is dangerously cold, especially for that early morning commute timeframe, even into that mid morning.”
If you have to venture outside Tuesday, cover all exposed skin, especially during the early morning commute, she advised. If people have to wait outside for a bus or transportation, cover up and minimize the waiting period as much as possible.
Exposed skin can get frostbitten in as little as 10 minutes, she warned.
Temps will “slowly improve” after mid-morning Tuesday and reach -10 degrees by the afternoon.
Getting into the afternoon hours, wild chills in the Madison area are expected to rise to -15 to -20 degrees, Heeren said, though gusty winds will continue.
Temperatures will reach to around 0 by Tuesday evening.
Tips for staying safe in subzero weather
The City of Milwaukee Health Department, the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service offered a number of ways to stay safe in extreme cold, including:
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Prepare for emergencies by keeping extra supplies in your vehicle and home.
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Only use approved indoor heating devices to avoid fire and carbon-monoxide poisoning risk.
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Ensure pets are inside or in a “sheltered, warm space with access to water.”
For more information on cold weather safety, click here.
Cailey Gleeson of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW-Madison plans to ‘operate normally’ Tuesday despite extreme cold
