After blizzard conditions overnight and drifting on rural roads, many area schools are getting a late start today.

School starting two hours late included Austin, Pacelli, Southland, LeRoy-Ostrander, Blooming Prairie, Grand Meadow and Lyle. Austin officials reported buses will be going on plowed roads only this morning.

The blizzard conditions halted travel and the Minnesota Department of Transportation recommended no travel because of icy conditions and reduced visibility from high winds after a few inches of snow earlier in the day.

Visibility improved in time for the morning commute, but drifting and icy conditions were still reported on rural roads.

The blizzard warning expired overnight, but a winter weather advisory is in effect until noon with winds at 13 to 18 mph with 26 mph gusts, according to the National Weather Service.

On Thursday, sustained winds reached 28 to 30 mph with gusts near 46 mph, according to NWS readings at the Austin Municipal Airport.

Bitter cold conditions will around at least into early next week. A wind chill advisory is in effect until 9 a.m. Saturday. Friday’s high will only reach 1 degree with an overnight low near 11 below zero. Wind chills today and tonight will reach 10 to 30 below.

The cold weather will ease briefly for the weekend, and highs should reach 14 on both Saturday and Sunday. However, lows will drop to minus 1 Sunday night before another round bitter day on Monday, when the high will be 5 and the low will be minus 8.

According to extended forecasts, high temperatures should reach 29 by next Thursday and Friday and 33 by next Saturday.

 

Highest wind gust: 46 mph at 2:36 p.m. Thursday

Overnight low: -2

 

Wind chills recorded overnight:

Grand Meadow: -29

Dexter: -28

Austin Airport: -24

East Austin: -22