The weather is looking balmy for Christmas Day, but the weather outside is frightful today.

The forecast high for today is 1 below zero, but just like the summer saying it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity, in the winter it can be said it’s not the cold, it’s the wind.

The National Weather Service issued a wind chill advisory in effect until noon Tuesday. Wind chill values for Albert Lea are forecast to drop as low as 34 below, thanks to a northwestern wind of about 15 mph. Tonight, the mercury is expected to reach 15 below, with wind chill values as low as 28 below. The northwest wind tonight is forecast at 5 to 15 mph, then becoming south after midnight.

Christmas Eve will be blustery in Albert Lea. The KIMT forecast calls for a high of 13 degrees, while the weather service says 10. More to the point, the 5 to 10 mph south wind in the morning is expected to become 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon, with gusts as high as 30 mph and wind chill values as low as 32 below.

If that is the case, it seems doubtful the National Weather Service would lift the wind chill advisory at noon on Christmas Eve. Watch the Tribune website for updates.

About an inch of snow accumulation is possible for Tuesday and another 1 to 2 inches for Tuesday night.

Much of western Minnesota, including Mankato, Willmar, Morris and Marshall, is in a wind chill warning today running until noon Tuesday. Wind chill readings in those areas could range from 35 below to 45 below.

Albert Lea, Austin, Worthington, St. Cloud, Fergus Falls, Brainerd and International Falls are in the advisory, where wind chill is expected to reach the range of 25 to 35 below. All but two counties in Iowa are in the advisory, along with eastern Nebraska. The Dakotas are split between wind chill advisories and warnings and a winter weather advisory.

The high in Albert Lea on Christmas Day is forecast to be 27 above, the weather service says. KIMT says 23. There is a 20 percent chance of snow.

Thursday is expected to be 7 degrees above and mostly sunny.