No tags yet.
Behind Winter Storm Grayson is a dump of the coldest air so far this weekend. You can thank the Polar Vortex for this cold blast because it originates all the way from the North Pole! This cold is going to be very dangerous. Besides the fact that several temperatures records will be broken, the risk for hypothermia definitely exists. With winds chills mainly below -10 degrees through Sunday night and gusty winds, especially on Friday and Saturday, you can get hypothermia in only 10-30 minutes depending on the exact temperature.
On Friday, the combination of single-digits temperatures during the day and gusty winds up to 40 mph, it will make it feel like only -10 to -20 degrees. The record low maximum or cold high temperature of 24 degrees set back in 1996 will be broken with a forecast high of only around 10 degrees.
Saturday will be about the same in terms of high temperatures and wind chills. We'll start off the day with a low of 0 degrees, which will likely break the record of 2 degrees set again in 1996. Then in the afternoon, temperatures will only top off at around 10 degrees. That will crush the record low maximum of 18 degrees from the year of 1996. The worst time to be outside will obviously be in the morning where you can get hypothermia in less than 10 minutes. It will be extremely cold all day long, so we recommend you limit exposure outside.
The cold will peak Sunday morning with sub-zero temperatures of between -10 and 0 degrees forecast for the entire area. This will obliterate the current record low of 7 degrees set back in 1988. During the day, the cold won't be as bad with a high in the mid-teens combined with lighter winds. Besides the record low being broken on Sunday, we'll actually also break the record for the longest streak of temperatures below freezing. The current record holds at 12 straight days of sub-32 degree temperatures, which was set in 1978. If we stay below freezing on Sunday, that will make our streak, which started on Christmas Day, 13 days long, therefore breaking the current record.
To stay safe, try to remain inside this weekend. If you must go out, try to cover every part of your body: ears, nose, toes and fingers, etc. Mittens are better than gloves. Keep your skin dry. Stay out of the wind when possible. Also drink plenty of fluids since hydration increases the blood's volume, which helps prevent frostbite. Avoid caffeine, alchohol and cigarette. Caffeine constricts blood vessels, preventing warming of your extremities. Alcohol reduces shivering, which helps keep you warm. Cigarettes shut off the blood flow to your hands.