• BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- Blowing snow led to slick roads and several vehicle crashes in the Dakotas during the Friday morning commute, just ahead of the coldest blast of winter so far that's expected to sweep into the northern Great Plains over the weekend.
• The Transportation departments in both North Dakota and South Dakota cautioned motorists about the poor traveling conditions, and National Weather Service forecasters warned that the situation is certain to worsen with the arrival of potentially life-threatening Arctic air on the heels of the storm.
• The agency on Friday posted blizzard warnings for much of North Dakota and part of eastern South Dakota into Saturday morning and posted winter weather advisories and watches for other parts of the two states. The weather system was expected to bring only an inch or two of snow, but increasingly strong winds promised to blow that precipitation around, as well as the snow that had fallen in previous days.
• "That really hasn't crusted over sufficiently, and even if it did, the wind coming in at 30-50 mph will just break it apart," meteorologist Ken Simosko said.
• Denise Brew, emergency manager in Dunn County, in the western North Dakota oil patch, urged people to stay home if possible, for their own safety and for the safety of emergency responders who might have to come to their rescue.
• "Please think of the risks," she said.
• Temperatures are expected to drop to as low as 30 degrees below zero, and wind chills could reach 60 degrees below zero Saturday night through Tuesday morning.
• "When it turns to minus 25, 30, 35, the wind is generally fairly calm. The difference with this system -- we're going to see the minus 30, but the wind is going to be between 20 and 30 mph for a long duration," Simosko said.
• Weather that cold can freeze exposed skin within minutes, he said. It also is a danger to pets and livestock.
• North Dakota State Veterinarian Susan Keller said that while livestock in the region are acclimated to extreme cold, it is still important they have shelter from the wind and feed close by to keep them from wandering. She and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said the quality of rations is as important as the quantity.
• "This is the time to be feeding livestock the best forage you have," Goehring

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