LEWISTON — The Arctic chill moving southward from Canada is expected to linger in the Twin Cities until Thursday, meteorologist Jerry Combs with the National Weather Service’s Gray Office said Tuesday.

Combs said the combination of fresh snow, clear skies and light winds have led to the frigid temperatures, all “expected” for this time of year.

“We’ve got a very cold area of high pressure and it’s bringing a lot of dry air,” Combs said. “What we saw Monday night and Tuesday morning is whenever we have fresh snow on the ground, skies are clear and winds are really light, things just cool off so quickly,” Combs explained.

The wind chills are expected to settle down a touch Wednesday and Thursday, Combs said. “That’s kind of a silver lining. The wind chills shouldn’t be quite as bad.”

Combs said it’s going to be a dry week for the most part, with a chance of flurries around Thursday. “Nothing really measurable in the foreseeable future,” Combs added.

“Wednesday night doesn’t look as cold. We’re going to have some clouds moving in. While I still say ‘not as cold,’ it’s probably still going to be in the single digits,” Combs continued. “By Thursday, it looks like temperatures are going to recover back into the low to mid-20s.”

Layer, layer, layer

“Just make sure to dress in layers. Definitely dress for the weather. Bring your pets inside, don’t leave them outside for long periods,” Combs advised. “Most people have insulated pipes around here, but it’s always a good idea to open underneath the sinks, keep the (cabinet) doors open, to prevent pipes from freezing,” he added.

Combs warned against frostbite, urging folks to cover their extremities.

“If you’re outside for long periods of time, frostbite could definitely happen,” Combs said. “Fortunately, it’s not going to be as windy for the rest of the week but it’s still going to be pretty cold.”

‘It sucks’

Logan Keene said he had six layers on top and four on bottom Tuesday morning as he poured concrete slabs out in the freezing cold.

“It sucks,” he said with a smile. Keene, 23, has been working in construction since graduating high school five years ago.

“You have to stay moving, you can’t really slow down. You should stay out of the shade, eat lots of food, drink lots of water, stay hydrated, all that stuff,” Keene said, explaining how he copes with freezing winter weather. Coffee and little vitamin packets do help, he said. “It’s just something to keep the body moving when it’s cold like this.”

“Definitely a lot better than sitting inside an office,” Keene said. “I get to see the sunrise every day. Winter sunrises are the most beautiful, at least in my opinion,” he added.

“I like it, I have fun with it. I’m sure there’s a lot more people out there that are miserable but I personally tend to enjoy it and I take pride in the work that we do,” Keene said.

Others braving the cold Tuesday were less optimistic about it.

“It sucks. I definitely am not a fan. I’m not from here, so this is horrible. I’m definitely glad we have a house,” Mikayla McCoy said. The Florida native said she has been in Maine for four years but still not quite comfortable with harsh winters.

“When we go outside, we double layer. Double, triple, quadruple,” McCoy’s husband, Robert, added. An Idaho native, Robert McCoy said he is more used to snow and wind chills.

Nathan Cote, 34, was on his way to a doctor’s appointment Tuesday morning, hurrying in the cold. At 51 days sober, Cote said he was determined to turn his life around.

“About the same as everybody else’s, which is day by day, moment by moment,” Cote said, describing how he deals with the freezing temperatures without a home.

“I’m hoping that I can set a good example, maybe I’ll be able to have a sober house or run one of my own,” Cote said. “I’m hoping now that I got sober, I’ll be able to get back to life,” he added.

Jeanne Beaulieu said cold days like this were the best for eating pizza and ice cream. “That’s how I stay warm,” Beaulieu said with a smile while she waited for her bus Tuesday.