Janesville Gazette weather records indicate the city’s coldest day since 1929 came in at minus 31 on Feb. 2, 1996.
JANESVILLE — Kids might get another morning to sleep late and stay home Friday, when the forecast calls for more dangerous wind chills like those that canceled schools across the area today.
Janesville's overnight low dipped to minus 17, according to the city's wastewater treatment plant. And with the wind blowing at 7 mph at 7:30 a.m., the wind chill was minus 34, said Penny Zabel, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Sullivan.
It might feel even colder Friday morning, when a wind chill of minus 30 to minus 40 is expected, weather service meteorologist Courtney Obergfell said.
The Janesville School District today closed for its third "snow day" this school year.
Milton School District Superintendent Bernie Nikolay said the decision on temperature-related closures considers the forecasted temperature and wind chill during the time students would be walking to school or waiting for buses.
When the wind chill gets to be 35 below or lower during those transportation times, it's a sign to close school, he said.
As for Friday, "if the forecast holds true, if those same conditions are met, we won't have school," Nikolay said. "We'll just watch it very closely. If we can have a delay instead of a closing, that would be preferable."
Flood watch
The National Weather Service is worried that last year's ice jam flood on the Rock River south of Janesville could happen again in the next few days.
The river gauge at Afton has risen rapidly since 6 a.m. Wednesday and was at 7.8 feet around 9:30 a.m. today, said lead forecaster Mark Gehring.
Flood stage at Afton is 9 feet.
Forecasters fear the extreme cold is supplying large amounts of ice, which could break up and then get stuck on a bridge, at a narrow point or any kind of obstruction, Gehring said.
Friday's extreme cold could make matters worse, he added, but ice jams are unpredictable.
The weather service is keeping close watch on the gauge, and if the rapid rise resumes, a warning will be issued, Gehring said.
Frozen pipes
Aside from one water main break this morning, Janesville water utility Superintendent Katie Edgington said she's surprised there haven't been more problems.
"We have had frozen pipes in buildings that aren't heated," she said. "Definitely people want to make sure their basements are heated, or if (they have) drafty basements, wrap their water pipes or seal up any drafts."
Seeking refuge
The Salvation Army, 514 Sutherland Ave., opened its doors Wednesday as a refuge from the frigid cold from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Friday.
"We do not want anyone to suffer physical harm due to the cold, so we are making sure people know we are here as a place to stay warm if needed," said Capt. Kirk Schuetz.
Nobody had shown up as of 9:15 this morning, Schuetz said.
House of Mercy homeless center on Lincoln Street won't put people on a waiting list when it's bitter cold.
"We're trying to take people if they need a place, but we don't have that many fluctuations because we're full most of the time," said Ron Del Ciello, director.
ECHO is putting some people up at the Lannon Stone motel, Del Ciello said.
"We've got everybody taken care of," Del Ciello said.
Relief is on the way.
By the weekend, it will be in the teens or 20s, although another 2 to 3 inches of snow is forecast after midnight Friday, Zabel said.