Arctic blast grips Eastern Idaho causes school closures and frozen pipes

SHELLEY:  A blast of cold arctic air flowing over the Continental Divide brings a dangerous wind chill factor, school closures, and the potential of freezing pipes.

The National Weather Service out of Pocatello predicts bitterly cold temperatures today and tomorrow, with highs in the single digits and overnight temperatures dropping here in Shelley to near -18 degrees with a windchill factor near -30 degrees. This cold blast will last through mid-week before more moderate winter temperatures return.

Shelley, Firth, and other school districts have announced they will be closed tomorrow due to the cold weather.

“-20 degrees with wind chill is the standard policy of the current [school] board,” Shelley School District Chad Williams said. The National Weather Service estimates that the wind chill will be 30 below zero. 

The frigid temperature also wreaks havoc on water pipes. “If you have a water meter pit or an older home, you want to have a steady drip from one of your faucets to keep your pipes from freezing,” Shelley Public Works Director Justin Johnson said. “On older homes, opening the cabinet doors underneath the sink will allow warm air to circulate near the water pipes in the wall. I would do this for the next couple of weeks.”

The wind chill is a calculated measure of the cooling effect of the wind on the body in cold, dry air masses. It is not a measured value. The following chart shows the wind chill factor based on the cold temperature and the strength of the wind.