Temperatures will remain in the low single digits Saturday morning, causing dangerously cold conditions across the state.
Wind chill advisories have been issued and Gov. Ned Lamont has activated the severe cold weather protocol through Monday afternoon because of the cold. Anyone in need of shelter should call 211.
It is important to cover your fingers, nose, toes and ears if you’re spending time outside, according to Doctor Anuj Vohra, the chair and medical director of emergency services for the northwest region of Hartford HealthCare.
“Wear hats and scarves, make sure they stay hydrated if they’re out and about and just keep in mind the black ice. During this time we see a lot of visits to the emergency department for falls and, unfortunately, hip fractures are pretty predominant, especially in patients over the age of 60,” said Vohra.
If you are not dressed appropriately, it can lead to hypothermia. If you get wet, get to warmth immediately.
“Being wet with the cold leads to frostbite much faster than dry and it’s important that once they are say walking through the snow in your sneakers and you feel that your feet or your socks are wet, should you continue in that condition, it could lead to some really significant infections on top of frostbite,” Vohra said.
The frigid temperatures can also affect your car’s battery and tire pressure.
“It’s really important that folks go out today, like right now and start their car, maybe take it for a drive for 15 or 20 minutes or so if they haven’t done so in the last few days. Your battery can drain very quickly under these circumstances,” said Amy Parmenter, a spokesperson for AAA.
Also, look at the inside of your driver's side door to see the correct tire pressure for cold weather and make sure to adjust your tires accordingly to avoid a flat.
“With this arctic blast coming in we anticipate our call volume ramping up significantly,” Parmenter said.
Temperatures are expected to remain cold throughout the weekend though warming slightly on Sunday.
A potential winter storm might impact us Monday and Tuesday.
Track the cold in your First Alert Forecast here.
