Wisconsin starts the week with frigid temperatures, subzero wind chills

Many Wisconsinites woke up to frigid temperatures and subzero wind chills Monday, but temperatures should get above freezing by the end of the week.

Temperatures in the Milwaukee area are expected to hit a high of 16 degrees Monday and a low of 1 degree, with wind chills between minus 5 degrees and zero, according to the National Weather Service.

In the Green Bay area, meanwhile, temperatures are expected to hit a high of 9 degrees and a low of 2 degrees with a minus 11 degree wind chill, according to the National Weather Service.

Denny VanCleve, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Milwaukee/Sullivan office, said a low pressure system came through Wisconsin, bringing a cold air mass and breezy winds into the state from the northwest.

“The combination of those winds and colder air mass is causing those subzero wind chills this morning,” he said.

VanCleve also said a warmer air mass is expected to come through the state later this week, helping to moderate temperatures.

“That’s going to be a brief pattern, but it should help warm us up, not just back to normal but above normal for a couple days,” he said.

Temperatures are expected to stay low Tuesday, but they could jump into the 30s on Thursday and the 40s on Friday.

After a couple days of warm temperatures, VanCleve said a low pressure system will slide through the state, bringing a cold front with it early next week.

“We’re going to see another arctic high come barreling in from the northwest, and that northwest flow will bring us again breezy conditions and much cold air mass,” he said. 

With chilly temperatures, VanCleve said it’s important for Wisconsinites to wear multiple layers of clothing and cover exposed skin to avoid frostbite when outdoors. 

At the same time, warming shelters across Wisconsin are working to provide warmth and safety to the state’s homeless population.

The Holy Family Warming Shelter in Fond du Lac gives people a place to stay overnight from November through April. Holy Family Catholic Community spokesperson Sarah Razner said the shelter has a capacity of about 36 and gets very close to reaching capacity most nights.

In extreme cold, Razner said the shelter can expand its capacity to add extra beds. 

“We are prepared for that,” she said. “We just have not had the experience of needing those extra beds yet.”

In a state like Wisconsin, Razner said warming shelters are critical because it gets very cold in the winter, making it unsafe for people to stay outside.

“No matter why someone is experiencing homelessness, everyone deserves a place to stay, where they can feel safe, where they can have a meal,” she said. “That is what we are there for. We just want people to feel safe and to know that we can help them be safe and out of the elements.”