GILLETTE, Wyo. – There won’t be a hayride through the Campbell County Festival of Lights tomorrow night with dangerously low temperatures moving into the area, Campbell County Parks and Recreation announced Tuesday.
“Campbell County Parks and Recreation is sad to announce that we are canceling the hayride scheduled for Dec. 21 due to severe windchill factor at the time of the hayride,” parks and recreation said on Dec. 20. “Unfortunately, this will not be rescheduled due to time and weather constraints. Please enjoy Festival of Lights from the comfort of your vehicle and stay safe in these cold temperatures.”
As of Dec. 20, temperatures are expected to plummet starting tonight through Thursday, Dec. 23, according to the National Weather Service in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Wind chills are forecast to drop from 11 below zero tonight to 44 below zero during the day tomorrow, Dec. 21. Wednesday, night, wind chill factors could drop as low as 55 below zero, per NWS.
Highs will not climb above zero until Friday, Dec. 23, according to NWS.
“An arctic air mass will continue to support dangerously cold wind chills over western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming through the week,” NWS says, adding that the quick-moving storm could create ground-blizzard conditions Wednesday through early Friday.
The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes, per NWS.
A Wind Chill Warning will go into effect tonight at 11 p.m.