Extreme cold will begin Wednesday afternoon and continue through the rest of the week. The latest from the National Weather Service:

• Confidence remains high on extreme cold starting mid-day today north, worsening through the evening and especially Thursday southward. Temperatures will fall significantly behind cold front today. Low temperatures Thursday will drop to -20F to -30F. Highs Thursday will be -5F to -15F. Friday High temperatures should reach zero and above most locations but wind chills will remain dangerously cold.

• Wind chills will drop as low as -40F to -75F with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph during this time frame. Wind gusts could be as high as 45-75 mph this afternoon, and 45-50mph tonight to late Thursday.

• Localized moderate to heavy banded snow will occur along and just behind the cold front. Local snow squalls are expected late this morning through this evening – ending north to south.

• Cold will ease Saturday (Christmas Eve) into Sunday (Christmas) with Highs back in the +30s to +40s.

With the incoming winter weather and severe cold the following closures and schedule changes have been announced:

• Albany County Offices – will close on December 22. Normal operations will resume on Tuesday December 27th.
• City of Laramie – non-essential facilities will be closed including Recreation Center and Ice & Events Center, the Landfill, and City Hall.
• Developmental Preschool & Day Care Center will be closed
• Albany Lodge has cancelled all snowmachine rentals for Thursday
• The Zone Marketplace will be closed
• Nest Indoor Play Space will be closed
• Snowy Range Ski Area will be closed
• Hot Power Yoga will be closed
• Lone Moose Ski Shop will be closed
• Smile Academy Pediatric Dentistry will be closed
• Ivinson Medical Group & Convenient Care will be closed
• University Store will be closed
• UW Employees are encouraged to work from home if possible
• Maria’s Mexican Grill & Cantina will not be doing breakfast burritos

If you know of a closure or schedule change due to the storm please email us at news@county5.com and we will add it to this list.