ST. PAUL - Gov. Mark Dayton is cancelling all public school classes statewide today due to dangerous cold.

Dayton issued the order Friday. He says the safety of Minnesota's school children is the state's first priority. Dayton says all Minnesotans should be cautious about the weather in the coming days.

High temperatures on Monday are expected to be in the minus teens.

This is the first time a Minnesota governor has closed schools in response to cold weather since February 1996, when former Gov. Arne Carlson canceled schools as temperatures plunged to 30 below in the Twin Cities and minus-60 in Tower, Minn. Carlson also closed schools in January 1994.

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