Vikes make weather history, PM rush snow

The field goal attempt sailed wide left. The frosty collective gasp Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium was practically visible on Doppler radar.

Football and winter are two good reasons why Minnesotans are accused of being a stoic tribe. Low expectations equals less disappointment. A good winter (and football) poker face.

You knew it was a bad omen when the subzero cold shattered the Vikings Gjallarhorn before the game.

Sunday may be remembered most fondly for the way Minnesotans of all stripes celebrated the coldest Vikings game ever, and one of the coldest in NFL history.

Third coldest NFL game on record? The official National Weather Service temperature read -4 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport at noon Sunday.

I'm not sure how calibrated the thermometer at TCF Bank Stadium is, but what's a couple of degrees between friends on the coldest game in Vikings franchise storied weather history.

Either way, it was one of the top five coldest games in NFL history and the coldest ever for the Vikes. For many fans, the feels-like temperature plummeted even more after the final whistle blew. The frozen tundra indeed.

• +12 - additional minutes of daylight this week in Minnesota

• 5 pm sunset next Sunday in the Twin Cities

• Seed starter kits now on sale at local garden stores

• 41 days - pitchers and catchers report to Minnesota Twins spring training

Icy Monday

We began with subzero temps and the potential for some black ice on roads during the morning commute. The subzero line pushed south through Iowa toward Chicago this morning.

Tree-cracking cold up north

You know what I mean if you've ever heard the trees, or your house go boom in the night when it's well below zero as the wood adjusts to extreme temperatures changes.

Temperatures in Minnesota plunged into the -30s up north this morning at Cook (-36F) and Embarrass (-34F).

Afternoon clipper

A weak Alberta clipper sails east through Minnesota today. Light snow spreads from west to east. The snow zone reaches the Twin Cities by mid to late afternoon. The evening rush could get slick fast. Snow continues through his evening as the system zips by on the leading edge of the next Arctic high pressure push Tuesday.

Snowfall totals will generally be around an inch, but with temps in the single digits above zero the roads will turn icy fast. This has the potential to be one of those low-snow but high-impact snow events. Call the hassle factor a 6 out of 10 with this one this evening.

Keep an eye out for icy roads today and especially this evening.

Temps moderate later this week. Thursday looks downright balmy as temps may push the 30 degree mark. I'm watching a chance of snow Friday. The weekend looks chilly once again with the potential for subzero lows again by Sunday morning.

Stay tuned and stay warm.