Arctic front advances south, blanketing, freezing Laramie
As the city weathers subzero temperatures, a 90-hour wind chill warning is in effect. On Friday, the school district sent elementary students home with virtual learning "blizzard bags."
An arctic front has brought subzero temperatures and severe wind chill to Laramie.
The cold snap will reach its zenith Monday night when residents can expect temperatures of 20 below, and a windchill that will feel like -30 or worse.
Albany County School District No. 1 will go virtual Monday and Albany County Emergency Management is advising residents to stay safe at home or while traveling and to take precautions for livestock.
“The wind chills are going to be so cold that you can get frostbite within five to 10 minutes on exposed skin,” said Gerry Claycomb, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in Cheyenne. “And hypothermia sets in pretty quick with that type of cold temperatures.”
A winter storm warning is in effect now and is set to last through Monday. And more snowfall is likely. But the wind chill is perhaps the most significant factor to watch for.
“We're looking at wind chills mainly during the evening and overnight hours,” Claycomb said. “You're looking at wind chills of 30 or 35 below zero in the evenings … until that warmer air starts to move into the area. For Monday morning, we're looking at wind chills of 20 to 30 below for Laramie. Looking at wind chills on Tuesday morning that are still 35 below. It doesn't really warm up until after Tuesday.”
The National Weather Service issued a wind chill warning for southeast Wyoming Friday. Wind chill is the actual temperature you “feel” and it’s a combination of both the temperature we’re used to discussing and wind speed.
“So why does it feel colder if the wind speed increases but the temperature remains the same? The reason is because as wind blows across our bodies it takes the heat we naturally emit and blows it away from our bodies,” the weather service explains. “The faster the wind speed the faster our body heat is taken away and the colder it feels.”
Albany County Emergency Management shared recommendations for taking care of livestock on its Facebook page. The agency also gave more general advice ahead of this weekend’s weather.
“Limit outdoor activities and be prepared in case you become stranded,” the page states. “With extremely cold temperatures expected Friday through Monday, make sure that you are dressing appropriately when out in the elements.”
The agency also shared advice for how to handle being stranded on the road when temperatures are dangerously low.
Remember: If you get stranded:
Stay with your vehicle
Only run your engine for short periods of time
Keep snow and other debris away from your exhaust pipe
Pack some basic supplies in your vehicle
Have all your extreme cold weather layers in the vehicle if the use for them arises
Emergency Management has more resources on its site. Winter safety tips — for heating your home without starting a fire, being prepared for a power outage, and traveling safely — can be found here. Laramie’s weather forecast can be found here.
Albany County Schools will go virtual Monday
On Friday afternoon, as temperatures were rapidly dropping, Albany County School District No. 1 decided it would be too cold for students to be in classrooms Monday.
“Out of an abundance of caution Albany County School District No. 1 will be closing schools and hosting a virtual school day on Monday, January 15th,” the district announced in a news release.
That doesn’t mean it’s a snow day, however. Students at all levels will still have coursework to complete.
“Elementary students will be given a blizzard bag containing work for the day,” the release states. “Secondary schools will attend class virtually using the Canvas Portal.”
And students who rely on school lunches will still have access to that service.
“Students needing breakfast or lunch can pick up breakfast and lunch bags at Linford Elementary School, Laramie Middle School, or Laramie High School between 8-10 a.m. on Monday January, 15th. To ensure everyone's safety please use caution if going out in these cold temperatures.”
Some Linford Elementary families have been keenly aware of the threat posed by cold weather all week, following a brief loss of heating at the school Monday.
“Basically, the boiler that pumps hot air throughout the building had tripped over the evening (Sunday),” Assistant Superintendent Dave Hardesty said. “And when folks came in in the morning, they discovered that was the case and maintenance staff were on site fairly early in that morning. Shortly after that, they had all of the boiler situation reset and pumping at the appropriate pressures. I did a walkthrough personally of Linford at approximately 10 a.m. and rooms were up to the appropriate temperature by that point.”
Hardesty stressed that the temperature never dropped below 50 or 60 degrees.
“Heating didn't drop to a point where anyone was in danger,” he said. “It was uncomfortable for a little while, but it was restored very quickly.”
But some Linford families reported bringing in space heaters to warm up cold classrooms throughout the week. One parent, Lela Grayce, said she rounded up three heaters for her daughter’s classroom.
“My daughter’s teacher sent an email asking for space heaters,” she said. “I called around and secured three from my family and took one in (Wednesday) and two in (Thursday).”
Grayce said her daughter was cold all week and that as late as Tuesday, the class had to walk around the school to warm up.
"I've been dressing her in layers,” Grayce said. “When I drop her off she just wants to sit on my lap and share my coat with her."
The school does not have a set temperature that triggers school closures. Rather, it’s a judgment call made by the administration and informed by an array of factors, from projected temperature to snowfall to road conditions.
“The central administration is in contact with multiple agencies from within the county,” Hardesty said. “That information is then collected and brought to central administration for review and collaboration around whether or not the overall temperature or inclement weather possibility is too cold or dangerous for our students to be either walking to school or waiting at bus stops — or going to school in general.”