Windchill advisory through noon Tuesday; windchills could hit -25

Winter is back with a vengeance.

The snow emergencies may be over for now, but windchills were expected to drop to 25 to 30 degrees below zero Monday night into Tuesday morning across much of central and southern Minnesota, according to the National Weather Service.

The arrival of extreme cold also has Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) officials warning drivers to watch for black ice on roads by early Tuesday.

Black ice often forms on overpasses and bridges, where cold circulates above and below the elevated surface. It also can form on roads where snow melts from heated automobile undercarriages and exhaust emission, then refreezes. Since it is often difficult to see, black ice is especially hazardous, MnDOT officials say.

A windchill advisory is in effect for much of the state and western Wisconsin through noon Tuesday, the Weather Service said. After that, temperatures will moderate slightly, but it will remain windy.

In a windchill advisory, frostbite and hypothermia are possible if people are not dressed properly, including hats and gloves.

Tuesday night will be clear, with a low temperature around 6 below zero, with winds from the west at around 10 miles per hour, creating windchills as low as 23 below.

New Year's Day will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 21, and west winds at 5 to 10 miles per hour, said the Weather Service.

Experts advise motorists to take cold-weather precautions. Frigid weather can lower air pressure in tires, so drivers are counseled to check tires and spares.

January is the coldest month of the year here, and that's likely to be the case in 2015, said meteorologist Paul Douglas.

The return of the cold was good for one thing, as some outside skating rinks were ready for use. In Minneapolis, the Lake of the Isles rinks opened Monday, as did the Arden, Countryside, Highlands, Lewis, Normandale and Pamela rinks in Edina.

Alejandra Matos