It’s Colder in Topeka Tonight Than Bitter Bismarck

The forecast high in Chicago today is 26 degrees. The average high is 31. While temperatures remain below freezing today across much of the Upper Midwest, it’s still not the bitter cold they were experiencing earlier in December. But the cold, Canadian air is plunging south once again.

Tonight's Forecast Lows, Image: NOAA

Cold dry air from the arctic is sliding south along with a cold front. The high today in Topeka, Kansas is expected to be in the 30s, the lows?, below zero. In comparison, Bismarck’s overnight low will be 3 degrees. It will be warmer in Bismarck tonight than Topeka!

Another interesting advisory for the Dakotas today? Western North Dakota is under a freezing fog advisory. We’ve talked about fog in the past. When a thick fog develops, it will produce a light rain or mist. If it’s really cold, like it is in Crosby, North Dakota today, this light mist can freeze on contact with the ground or an surface it touches. It’s not going to be a thick coating of ice if you compare it to the thick ice that develops during an ice storm. However, it can cause slick and dangerous roads for drivers.

-Dawn Brown