Record cold temperatures are hitting much of the US this week.
In some places, its possible youll experience weather thats colder than youve seen in your lifetime.
Heres what to know when the chill hits.
Dress Warm
Okay, you knew that.
Wear tights or leggings under your pants.
Mittens are warmer than gloves.
One of your outer layers should be windproof.
Cover as much exposed skin as possible when you go outside.
Consider a balaclava or scarf for your face.
A hat really helps, even indoors.
Watch the Wind Chill
Temperature isnt everything.
If its -4 but feels like -21, pay more attention to that second number.
Dont stay outside long when the wind chill is particularly chilly.
Heres a handy chart from the National Weather Service, or check outtheir calculator here.
In extreme cases, frostbite can require amputation.
Frostbite is more likely if you have poor circulation, but anybody can get it.
Redness or pain is a sign to get out of the cold immediately.
Do they also have hypothermia?
(Hypothermia is a medical emergency, and should be your top priority.)
Dont walk on frostbitten toes if you’re free to help it; that causes more damage.
But do get to a warm location if you could.
The process of thawing out your frozen tissue can be painful.
Eric Mackwrote about his experience at Forbes:
I remember a man asked me to hold out my hands.
He squeezed the frozen tips of my fingers and I felt nothing.
There was no sensation, just the numbness that Id been feeling since the middle of the journey.
Avoiding Hypothermia
Hypothermia is low body temperature.
Take the persons temperature.
A temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit is an emergency.
Get to a warm place
Remove any wet clothing
Warm up their torso first, ideally with electric blankets.
Skin to skin contact (under blankets) can also work.
If theyre able to drink, offer warm, non-alcoholic beverages like tea.
(This can help to warm up their body.)
If you lose heat, or if your heater cant keep up, close off rooms you dont need.
Space heaters can come in handy, but keep them away from anything flammable.
Never to run a generator indoors or use a gas oven to heat your home.
Both of these practices can fill your home with carbon monoxide, a deadly gas with no noticeable smell.
You should have a carbon monoxide detector already; if not, get one.
Dont Let Pipes Freeze
Pipes in the outer walls of your house can freeze.
If your pipes have frozen in the past, dont be surprised if it happens again.
This lets a little more of the houses heat near the pipes.
If pipes do freeze, use a hair dryer to warm them up, never an open flame.
Setting your house on fire is not the kind of warmth you are looking for.
Update 2/1/2019:We inadvertently swapped advisory and warning in the paragraph on wind chill advisories and warnings.
A warning isthe strongest of the three.
