By Bruce Karnick [email protected]

Temperatures began to plummet the morning of February 4th. The area started out around 32 degrees and by midnight on the fifth, temps were tickling single digits and midnight on the sixth, just two above zero. The high on the seventh hit a whopping one degree and the low was minus 15. These temps are nothing new to us in Minnesota, but every year people need to be reminded of things to keep them safe if they venture outside. Weather forecasters are saying we won’t get back into the double digits above zero in the region until Tuesday, February 16th.

According to the National Weather Service, at zero degrees with no wind, exposed skin will begin to get frostbite in just over 30 minutes. Drop the temp to -10 and frost bite can happen in about 20 minutes. Add a little wind and it could start as fast as 10 minutes. Some of our temps will drop into the negative teens over the weekend. Exposed skin at -15 with a 10 MPH wind will begin to feel the effects of frostbite in 10-15 minutes.

What are the symptoms of frostbite? Your skin starts to become cold with a pins and needles sensation. You have an increasing loss of feeling and numbness. Your skin turns pale blue or greyish and starts to feel rubbery to the touch. Understanding these symptoms and getting early treatment will give you the best outcome.

What can you do to protect yourself if you must go out? Cover as much skin as you can and do so in layers. The hot hands style foot and hand warmers are an excellent way to help keep extremities warm. Frostbite happens because blood vessels become constricted from the cold and it almost always starts in the extremities of the body.

Preparedness is key! Many frostbite sufferers are folks that went out to do normal tasks and were not prepared for the weather. Many even had a mechanical breakdown of a vehicle and they were not counting on being stranded. Try not to venture out of town, but if you truly need to go out of town for whatever reason, pack extra clothes and grab a few packs of the warmers if you can. They are cheap enough and hold a long time if you do not use them, making them perfect for your vehicle’s survival pack.

Bottom line stay home unless you absolutely must go out and if you order delivery, tip your driver well, they are out in dangerous conditions so you can eat! Stay Safe!

Wind Chill / Frostbite chart courtesy of the National Weather Service.