Extreme Cold Watch, Iowa

Severe

Wind chills as low as 41 below zero. The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 40 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

Ended Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Replaced by the Extreme Cold Warning on Thursday, January 22, 2:28 in the morning.

Issued: Tuesday, January 20, 1:23 in the afternoon
Expires: Friday, January 23, 2 in the afternoon
Updated: January 21, 2026

Places in this watch

How much

Wind chill: As low as 41 below zero

Map

This watch
Interstates
US highways

Alert area: National Weather Service. Borders and highways: U.S. Census Bureau. Lakes, rivers and other countries: Natural Earth. Open this area in OpenStreetMap

Details from the National Weather Service

What: Dangerously cold wind chills as low as 41 below zero possible.
Where: Portions of northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota, and central, east central, and southeast South Dakota.
When: From Thursday evening through Friday afternoon.
Impacts: The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 40 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

Updates

Wednesday 5:57 in the evening
Area expanded. January 21, 2026
Wednesday 11:43 in the morning
Reissued with no change to the times or amounts. January 21, 2026
Wednesday 10:42 in the morning
Area expanded. January 21, 2026
Wednesday 2:31 in the morning
Reissued with no change to the times or amounts. January 21, 2026
Tuesday 9:12 at night
Reissued with no change to the times or amounts. January 20, 2026
Tuesday 1:23 in the afternoon
Extreme Cold Watch issued for Thursday night through Friday afternoon. January 20, 2026