MANKATO — It was so cold Friday that even Mike Visker, co-owner of Express Auto Service & Repair in Mankato, wondered if his truck would start.
“It was definitely pretty cold this morning,” he said. “We’re seeing the normal stuff, batteries — the cold weather is always hard on batteries — and lots of tire stuff coming in.
The low Friday was negative 20, with a high of 8 below. The windchill reading was 37 below.
“The cold weather is one thing,” Visker said, “but when you add the snow and ice, we see suspension issues. Collisions with curbs and other vehicles and things like that. Everything is working harder when it gets cold.”
Express Auto fielded more calls on Friday, Visker said. “I definitely hear the phone out in the shop. It’s going off the rails.”
Barb Macrafic at Mankato’s Affordable Towing said she was too swamped to field a press call but managed to squeeze in that her shop was also busy.
“It’s just been constant,” she said. “We’re really busy. Lots of jump-starts, lots of tows. People who are breaking down as they’re driving.”
Taylor Haley, owner of Greg’s Champion Auto in Mankato, said his staff fielded 30 calls by mid-morning Friday.
“We’ve seen a lot of batteries coming in, dead and frozen batteries, and a few starters and alternators and no heat,” he said. “We’d had to push a few cars in, so that was a joyful morning. And we had a few cars we towed in this morning. It is chilly out there.”
Anything to make the cold more bearable was selling fast at C&S Supply Co. in Mankato.
“Heaters in general, from electric to gas, are moving,” said Corey Kapaun, store manager. “Hand and foot warmers are big and all of our warm weather clothing, such as gloves and sweatshirts, are moving. Those seem to be the main things we are seeing go through our tills.”
Dale Porter, owner of Toppers Pizza in Mankato, was anticipating a busy day Friday. And he advised his delivery drivers to dress appropriately for the frigid weather.
“I think we’re going to be really busy because yesterday was cold and we were really busy,” he said just before the Friday lunch rush. “And there’s no school. We are busier on no school days.”
Most area schools canceled classes Friday because of the weather.
Porter said he had one driver scheduled for the lunch shift and a few for the dinner rush.
“Hopefully everybody’s car starts,” he said. “We advised drivers to dress very warmly and make sure they’ve got plenty of gas in their cars.”
It was business as usual for Kallie Fitzloff of Mankato, who works remotely from home for a Twin Cities company. She was toiling from under a blanket Friday in her home office.
Her dog, Abby, she noticed, only went outside for a minute before returning to the warmth inside.
“My poor puppy didn’t make it out for very long,” Fitzloff said. “She didn’t like the cold.”
Keeping pets inside was one cold weather tip from Bill Borghoff, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. He said Friday was the first arctic blast we’ve had in seven years.
“It looks like we’ll remain below zero through Saturday night and rise above zero on Sunday. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we’ll be in the teens. So it’s going to be cold but not as cold as today,” Borghoff said Friday, adding that dressing well is key on cold days.
“Make sure all exposed skin is covered and remain indoors as much as possible,” he said.
CenterPoint Energy urged customers to be smart about the cold snap. The company encouraged its customers to take easy actions to save energy, including temporarily lowering their thermostat settings, health permitting, to help reduce energy use and save money.
AAA also put out an alert regarding the cold weather, saying they expected a surge in calls.
“Whenever an arctic blast moves in, we tend to receive a noticeable uptick in calls,” Brynna Knapp, AAA spokesperson, stated in a release. “Dead batteries, frozen locks, and cars that simply won’t start are extremely common. At the same time, homeowners face the risk of frozen pipes that can burst and cause thousands of dollars in damage. Preparation is the best defense.”
AAA advised letting faucets drip to keep water moving, open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warm air to circulate, keep the thermostat set to at least 55 degrees, even when away from home, and know where your main water shutoff valve is in case a pipe bursts.
And if it’s sunny outside, keep window coverings open during the day to catch warmth from the sun.