Gov. Tim Walz said Monday he will not call for a statewide closure of Minnesota schools due to the bitter subzero temperatures coming the next few days.

He said he’ll defer instead to local school districts on decisions to open or close “because they know best the conditions in their area and how to keep their students safe.”

School districts typically make their own individual decisions on whether it’s too cold or snowy to hold school, although state law gives the governor power through the education commissioner to “alter school schedules, curtail school activities or order schools closed.”

Walz said last week he was exploring whether to close schools statewide given the double-digit subzero forecasts through Thursday. Walz said Monday he remains in contact with officials at State Department of Education to keep monitoring the situation.