Minnesota Schools Close As Extreme Cold And Snow Hit

On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Minnesota found itself in the icy grip of a winter storm that would soon deepen into one of the coldest stretches the state had seen in at least five years. By late afternoon, dozens of school districts across the state—especially in southeast and southwestern regions—had already announced closures, early releases, and cancellations, as snow drifts and slick roads made travel hazardous and the forecast promised even harsher conditions ahead.

According to the National Weather Service, a blizzard warning was issued for southwestern Minnesota and a winter weather advisory for the western part of the state. Visibility in the blizzard warning area dropped to near zero at times, making even short trips treacherous. The Minnesota Department of Transportation reported snow drifts across State Highway 27 near Herman, underscoring the severity of the storm and the dangers facing anyone on the roads. As the snow tapered off, residents braced for what meteorologists described as an extreme cold event that would descend over the next several days.

The National Weather Service’s alerts painted a stark picture: an Extreme Cold Watch was in effect for much of southeast Minnesota and western Wisconsin from Thursday evening through Saturday morning. Wind chills were forecast to plummet as low as 45 degrees below zero, a level of cold that can cause frostbite on exposed skin in minutes. The entire state was placed under an extreme cold warning through noon on Friday, January 23, with temperatures expected to remain below zero throughout Friday and only a slight reprieve predicted for Sunday.

School districts across Minnesota responded quickly, relying on a mix of meteorological data and established protocols to make decisions about closures. In St. Paul, for example, the threshold for closing schools is a forecast wind chill of 35 degrees below zero or colder at 6 a.m.—a benchmark shared by many other districts, including Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, Shakopee, and Minneapolis. Erica Wacker, Director of Communications for St. Paul Public Schools, explained, "The goal is to be in school. If it's safe to be in school, we want people to be in school. We know it's a hardship either way on parents and staff to have to adjust plans on short notice. But this is Minnesota. We have winter, we have weather that we deal with all times of year, but our goal is always to give people as much notice as we possibly can while making the most informed weather decision possible."

Many districts, such as Anoka-Hennepin, St. Paul, and Minnetonka, aim to notify families in the evening when forecast confidence is high. Others, like Minneapolis, wait until early morning, with a 5:30 a.m. deadline for decisions. Bloomington Public Schools makes its call after 5 a.m., and Mahtomedi by 6 a.m. District leaders note that extreme cold is often easier to predict than snow or ice, so families can usually expect earlier notifications for cold-related closures.

On Wednesday, January 21, the impact of the winter weather was immediate and widespread. In the Rochester area, multiple schools canceled activities and classes, with early releases common across both public and private institutions. Andrew Link, Digital Managing Editor at the Post Bulletin, reported that the closures affected the entire community, disrupting routines and forcing parents to scramble for alternative arrangements. The National Weather Service warned that the worst was yet to come, urging residents to stay informed and limit time outdoors.

Rochester Public Schools took the added step of announcing a full closure for Friday, January 23, due to the forecasted extreme cold. While Friday was already a non-school day for most schools in the district, Longfellow Elementary was scheduled to be in session; that, too, was canceled, along with all child care programs, community education classes, building rentals, and after-school activities. Hawthorne Education Center also closed its doors for the day. The district stated it planned to open as usual on Thursday, January 22, but would continue monitoring conditions closely.

Elsewhere in Minnesota, the situation was much the same. Schools in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Anoka-Hennepin, Duluth, and other major districts either canceled classes, delayed starts, or switched to e-learning as wind chills dropped. The use of e-learning days—a legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic—has become more common, with many districts opting for virtual instruction after the first two weather-related closures. Anoka-Hennepin, however, maintains a strict policy: school is either open or closed, with no remote learning option. Shakopee Public Schools employs a hybrid approach, using a traditional snow day first each semester before transitioning to online learning if more closures are needed. Mike Redmond, Superintendent of Shakopee, said, "We do the best we can to communicate early. It is that part where, just like for my own kids, I see the students attending our school, each and every one of them, they're my kid as well, in a way. But we want to do right, and we want to make good, sound decisions based on what we think is happening out there with the weather and keep people safe."

The severity of the cold snap has evoked memories of previous historic weather events. According to reporting from KARE 11, it is rare for the Minnesota governor to close all public schools statewide, but it has happened before. During the polar vortex of January 27–31, 2019, then-Governor Mark Dayton used emergency powers to shut down every public school in the state for multiple days as wind chills plunged to dangerous levels—between 50 and 60 degrees below zero. The lowest air temperature recorded in the Twin Cities during that event was minus 28 degrees Fahrenheit, the coldest since 1996, when Tower, Minnesota, set the state’s all-time record at minus 60 degrees. In the mid-1990s, Governor Arne Carlson also called off school several times due to severe cold.

While the current forecast does not quite reach those record-shattering lows, the projected wind chills of minus 45 degrees are enough to prompt widespread concern. Schools typically close when wind chills hit minus 35, a threshold met or exceeded during this week’s cold snap. Last year, on January 20-21, 2025, dozens of Minnesota school districts canceled or delayed classes, or shifted to e-learning, as wind chills dropped to between minus 35 and minus 45 degrees.

With positive temperatures not expected to return until Sunday, January 25, families, schools, and local governments are bracing for several days of disruption. The National Weather Service and local officials continue to urge caution, especially for those who must travel. Residents are advised to keep up with the latest weather alerts, dress in layers, and avoid unnecessary outdoor activity.

As Minnesota hunkers down for what could be the coldest spell in recent memory, the resilience of its communities is once again being tested by the state’s famously harsh winters. For now, safety and communication remain the top priorities as families and educators navigate another round of extreme weather.