Minneapolitans are getting a little weirded out at the sights and sounds of helicopters flying 80 mph between buildings.

And yes, it’s a Super Bowl thing. Security, as well as TV footage.

Parts of downtown Minneapolis are looking a bit like the Green Zone in Baghdad as serious security forces — armored vehicles, Kevlar-clad soldiers with big guns, and government choppers — have made their presence known in anticipation of Sunday’s Super Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium.

David Zoll, an attorney at Lockridge Grindal Nauen, captured an image of a helicopter whose tail number matches that of a Department of Energy-owned aircraft previously deployed at high-profile events to measure radiation levels — basically to check for nukes.

I hadn’t noticed a lot of #SuperBowlLII activity on my side of downtown today. That is, until this helicopter flew by my office window. For reference, the apartments in the lower left of the picture are one block away. pic.twitter.com/ojsjJ5XTRv — David Zoll (@djzoll) January 29, 2018

“The Helicopters flying over downtown #Minneapolis and hovering over my office are shaking the windows,” wrote another Twitter user who works in downtown Minneapolis. “I know its necessary but still a bit unnerving.”

The Helicopters flying over downtown #Minneapolis and hovering over my office are shaking the windows. I know its necessary but still a bit unnerving. #SuperBowl — Brad (@Bam2) January 29, 2018

While the Twin Cities are awash in charter flights of out-of-town VIPs and TV choppers day and night, the most-noticed flights are helicopters speeding through downtown well below the tops of the city’s skyscrapers, sometimes flying in a grid pattern.

Those special chopper flights began Monday and were expected to continue through Wednesday, according to the City of Minneapolis, which put out a news release on the issue titled “Significant air traffic expected leading up to Super Bowl LII.”

“A low-flying helicopter conducting aerial security and geographical surveys of the downtown area may be seen from the ground and high-rise buildings in and around downtown Minneapolis,” the statement said. “The helicopter will fly in a grid pattern over the area at 300 feet or higher above ground surface, at a speed of approximately 80 miles per hour. These flyovers will occur only during daylight hours.”

The IDS Tower, Minneapolis’ tallest building, stands 792 feet.

Needless to say, folks have noticed.

https://twitter.com/wyseapple/status/958068496520359936

Some are having fun with it on social media, channeling the paranoia of Ray Liotta’s character in the movie “Goodfellas.”

The unmarked helicopters swirling over my neighborhood in the name of Super Bowl security are really doing wonders for my generalized anxiety. pic.twitter.com/e7mg3ULVGn — Publick Universal Foe 🌹 (@mister_kies) January 29, 2018

i love the sound of helicopters circling overhead all day and night 🙂 love living near the downtown area of the city the super bowl is at 🙂 — midnight (@midriffseason) January 28, 2018

The Super Bowl is listed at the top-tier of threat levels by the Department of Homeland Security. Tuesday night’s State of the Union address by President Donald Trump was another such event. The last time a so-called National Special Security Event was staged in Minnesota was 2008, when the Republican National Convention was held in St. Paul.

34-MILE RESTRICTED AIR SPACE

On the afternoon of Super Bowl Sunday itself, air traffic will be heavily restricted within two zones around downtown Minneapolis. The circular zones enacted by the Federal Aviation Administration flight advisory — measure 10 nautical miles and 30 nautical miles (about 34 miles) — mean that few aircraft will be allowed anywhere but in and out of Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport between 3 p.m. and midnight.

Aircraft violating the restricted air space will be intercepted by military aircraft, including black hawk helicopters, that will be on airborne patrol throughout the event.

https://twitter.com/LindaJParkin/status/958412506686545920