Extreme Cold Weather Will Close Great Bear Ski Valley Thursday

The expected return of bitterly cold winter weather to the Sioux Falls area this week is altering the schedule of at least one outdoor facility in the city.

Great Bear Ski Valley has decided to close the skiing, snowboarding, and tubing hills, Thursday (February 13), for one day.

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls is calling for patchy blowing snow before midnight, Wednesday (February 12) with low temperatures around -14 and a wind chill values as low as -32. Winds are expected to gust as high as 35 mph.

Thursday's forecast high temperature is zero.

According to a report by Dakota News Now, Great Bear General Manager Dan Grider says the park will take advantage of the cold weather to make snow beginning Wednesday night.

Great Bear will resume normal operations Friday (February 14) morning at 9:00 AM.

The facility will have extended hours over President's Weekend.