Photo by Mike Lamb Snow removal was a top priority in Marshall Monday after 4 to 5 inches fell overnight. Heavy equipment was used to remove snow from an apartment complex parking lot on Third Street just a block down from Main Street.

MARSHALL — Get ready for a brutal blast of freezing weather Wednesday and Thursday.

“Extreme cold will impact the Marshall area through Thursday,” said Andrew Kalin, National Weather Service meteorologist at the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, office, “The coldest conditions will be Wednesday morning and Thursday morning with overnight temperatures of -30 or -32 air temperatures. When you factor in the wind, it might be wind chills of -50 or -60.”

Kalin said 4.2 inches of snow was reported for Marshall Sunday.

The arctic blast is keeping children from attending area schools.

Marshall Public Schools made an announcement late Monday afternoon, that schools will be closed today and Wednesday “due to severely low temperatures and wind chills.”

The Russell-Tyler-Ruthton School District also announced late Monday afternoon that its schools will be closed today and Wednesday. “Student safety is of utmost importance,” the emailed statement to parents read. “All after school activities are canceled.”

Lynd Public School posted on Facebook of its closure Tuesday and Wednesday as well.

Yellow Medicine East, Canby, Clarkfield Area Charter, Echo Charter, Lakeview, Tracy, Milroy, Hendricks, Ivanhoe, Lake Benton and Elkton will close as well today and Wednesday.

All of the area schools were closed Monday with no after school activities.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz won’t close schools statewide despite the extremely cold temperatures forecast for today through Thursday. The governor’s office said Monday that he’ll defer instead to local school districts to decide about closures.

In addition to schools, businesses and agencies closed Monday and some activities are being canceled throughout the week. Community Transit had limited service Monday and the Kitchen Table Food Shelf was closed. Senior dining closed and Meals on Wheels was canceled. Marshall Community Services canceled Adult co-rec volleyball. First Lutheran Church in Marshall will have no afternoon or evening activities Wednesday. The Caregiver Support Group regular weekly meeting is canceled Wednesday because of freezing temperatures.

So how cold is it? It’s so cold that road salt won’t melt the ice. The Minnesota Department of Transportation said that “road salt does not work well when temps fall below 15 degrees.”

In these temperatures, plowing the snow isn’t as easy as pushing snow around. According to MnDOT, “during or after the snowfall, vehicle tires pack down snow on the road.

If the temps are below freezing, the compacted snow freezes and forms a layer of ice. As more snow falls, the cycle continues and the layer of ice thickens. Trucks continue to plow, but the blade is less effective on compacted snow.”

MnDOT reminds motorists the “average snow plow route in District 8 (southwest and west central Minnesota) is 60 miles, round-trip. Some routes are considerably longer. In difficult conditions it can take up to four hours for a snow plow operator to plow a route. In good conditions it can take two and a half hours to plow a route.”

The public can view winter road conditions from plow cameras available through the 511mn.org website.