Sue Sitter/PCT Plows clear drifts from US Highway 2 east of Rugby Wednesday.

Snow, dangerous wind chills and below-zero cold enveloped Pierce County for most of last week, and according to the National Weather Service in Bismarck, not much will change next week.

NWS meteorologist Rick Krolak said in a recent phone interview, “As far as we can see, (temperatures are) pretty much going to stay where they are, at least through the weekend. We’re going to see maybe a little bit of relief from the deep, deep Arctic cold.”

However, Krolak noted, “The wind chills are what the biggest things are right now.”

Krolak said some may notice the weather warming slightly, but “There’s not a really big improvement in temperatures.”

“Looks like right now, there’s a very slight improvement early next week, but not really looking at the 30s, or temperatures we hope they rebound to; we’re still looking at the single digits above zero,” Krolak said. “That’s what it looks like.”

While recent accumulating snowfall caused headaches for local residents struggling with about a foot of new snow to add to the piles in their yards and driveways, Krolak said he didn’t see a major snow event in Rugby’s future.

“It looks like there’s a slight chance of afternoon snow, maybe Monday afternoon, maybe Monday night or early Tuesday, as well,” Krolak said.

Krolak said cold, overcast days with occasional snowfall are nothing unusual this time of year.

“Don’t forget, it’s only the end of the first week of February. The last two weeks of January and the first two weeks of February, it tends to be coldest,” he indicated.

Although spring begins next month and history shows winter never lasts as long as it seems, Krolak said local residents shouldn’t expect dramatically warmer temperatures in the near future.

“Pretty much what you’re seeing right now is going to continue next week,” he said.