Lincoln suffered severe wind early this week causing record low temperatures that made it harder for students who have to walk outside to get to school.

This Polar Vortex caused many schools located in the midwest to close down during the week, including LPS who had a school closure day Wednesday.

At 6 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 28, Lancaster County was under a wind advisory until 6 p.m. This means winds of 30 to 39 mph were expected for one hour or longer, or winds of 45 to 57 mph for any duration and winds this strong could make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

Students, who are newer drivers, struggled with these driving conditions.

“I drive a really small car and in these winds it’s extremely difficult,” Junior Lauren Epp said. “It’s really hard because my car will shake when it’s stopped and it can be drifted into another lane of traffic very easily.”

These strong winds along with some cold temperatures made for a hefty wind chill. According to The Weather Channel, Wednesday had temperatures reaching -8 degrees and a windchill well into the -20’s.

Many students have to walk a significant distance to get into the school building so these significantly low temperatures make it worse.

“When I got out of my car for the first time I was a millisecond away from yeeting back home,” Junior Jordyn Svoboda said. “I park in parking lot D so, it’s a pretty long walk. When I finally got into the building my hands were red and numb and my eyes watered so much there were tears all down my face.”

Security Technician, Ralph Hanson, observed many high school students who were underdressed when it came to these wintery conditions.

“There are a lot of hoodies and not enough gloves and hats,” Hanson said. “Watching many students come in and out from outside my advice is to always have adequate clothing in case of an emergency. You never know when you’re going to have car trouble or an event will happen where you are outside for a significant amount of time. Bundle up and stay warm.”