Wisconsin Faces Dangerous Cold, Good for Cranberry Farms

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – Arctic air spills into the state prompting cold weather warnings and advisories ahead of a major snow melting warm up.

Frigid wind chills will continue through Wednesday across Wisconsin with frostbite possible in as little as 10 minutes. What’s happening is your skin cells are literally freezing and dying.

Signs include pain, numbness, swelling, blisters and skin discoloration. It’s most common on your fingers, toes, nose and ears. Frostbite can lead to permanent, irreversible damage. 

Limit your time outdoors and cover all exposed skin. Things like wearing a face mask, scarf, gloves and hat help. If you believe that you have frostbite, get inside quickly, warm up slowly. Never rub the area, as that can damage the tissue even further.

Cold weather warnings and advisories are in effect again for Monday night.

Highlighted in dark blue is the ‘Extreme Cold Warning’ where wind chills will plummet to feeling -40 to -50 below zero in the upper Midwest.

In the light blue ‘Cold Weather Advisory’ spots, wind chills will drop to -15 to -35 below zero.

When you’re outside, pay attention to you health, cold can kill. Actual temperatures will fall to -5 to -20 degrees. Keep an eye out for signs of hypothermia.

It’s the “polar vortex” funneling in Siberian cold across Canada and into our backyards. This however does provide abundant sunshine and dry conditions with no snow in the forecast this week.

The cold weather is also helping cranberry farms prep for the season.

Wisconsin is the number one cranberry producer, growing over 400,000 tons of crop every year. Once harvest is over, they start flooding the cranberry beds with water and freezing them. When the beds freeze, it gives the crop a protective layer with the ice. This is crucial for the crop to survive. Now, they are adding sand to the marsh beds. This rejuvenates the bog by acting as a natural fertilizer. It protects the vines, stimulates root growth, and renewal as the ice melts into Spring.

If cranberry vines do not absorb enough water, they may die. This impacts us as consumers. With limited availability, prices can rise. So sometimes we have to weather the cold for a good reason. Cranberry season starts in mid-September.

But Spring-like temps are on their way to the state. High in the 40’s are expected for early next week! However, this will prompt rapid snow melt and may cause some flooding.