Temperatures are predicted to drop below zero Saturday afternoon and should stay below zero through Wednesday.

According to SCSU Meteorology Professor Bob Weisman, wind chills could dip as low as -40 to -50. Winds between 15-30 miles per hour are forecast for Sunday night, lasting through Monday.

With high winds and bitter cold temperatures forecast Governor Mark Dayton is cancelling all public school classes statewide for Monday. Dayton announced the school cancellations for Monday classes Friday morning, a preemptive step not often taken by the governor’s office.

This will be the first time a Minnesota Governor has cancelled public school classes due to cold weather since 1996, when former Governor Arne Carlson cancelled schools when temperatures plunged to 30 below.

Weisman says, "These cold and windy conditions exposed skin can freeze in 5-10 minutes or less."

Dayton explained Friday that the safety of Minnesota’s school children is the state’s first priority.

Locally, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Minnesota has closed all KIDSTOP and Clubs on Monday as well.