ROCHESTER, Minn.-The polar vortex closed schools, flights and businesses.
It hit the Midwest hard. The life threatening cold creating temperatures far below zero. That left people like Dianna Plager no choice but to limit her time outdoors. It’s something she's used to doing living here in Rochester.

“You're in Minnesota, I don't think its so bad. I went out a couple times not for long and you just have to be smart about it,” she said.

Today, she joins a number of people who wanted to take advantage of the warmer weather and go skating.

“This is a great day you can go skiing you can go skating there's so many opportunities here,” said Plager.

While temperatures warmed up today, other skaters like Liza Dion enjoy the cold.

“I came yesterday and it was the best this ice has been since the beginning of December when the ice first came in,” said Dion.

Friday's temps were still in the negatives. New skaters like Liza Dion says colder weather makes the ice perfect.

“It was beautiful and thick and it was gorgeous yesterday really nice today is lovely but yesterday was absolutely perfect for skating,” said Dion.