Nebraska sees low temp records broken as Arctic air descends

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska added some new low-temperature records, just a day after setting several on Monday, as a polar vortex pushed Arctic air into the Plains.

Lincoln recorded a temperature of minus-31, the second-coldest temperature ever recorded in the capital city. Norfolk also saw a temp of 31-below zero, a new record for the date and the coldest temperature in the city overall in 97 years. Omaha saw its coldest temperature since 1996.

That followed a slew of records set on Monday.

In Omaha, the temperature dropped to 15 below zero, breaking the old daily record of 12 below set on Feb. 15, 1936. Lincoln hit 16 below overnight, breaking the previous low of 11 F below set on Feb. 15, 1978.

In Hastings, the temperature fell to 26 F below — the coldest day in the month of February in the city’s history and breaking the previous record of 22 F below. North Platte saw a low of 29 F below, shattering the previous Feb. 15 record of minus 23 F in 1881.

Even with the record-breaking temperatures, none fell as low as Valentine in north-central Nebraska early Monday, which saw the mercury dip to 33 F below zero.

The weather service issued a wind chill advisory for the entire state, warning that even moderate winds were expected to push the “feels like” temperature to as low as 50 F below zero. Wind chills that low could result in frostbite on exposed skin in just minutes, the weather service warned.

The cold and the Presidents Day holiday led schools around the state to close in-person classes on Monday. Some were forced to close remote learning as well due to rolling power outages.

Most of the state's wind chill advisory is set to expire Tuesday afternoon. Temperatures were expected to rise above zero on Wednesday and into double digits — but still below freezing — later in the week.