{"id":1530,"date":"2024-12-27T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-27T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/?p=1530"},"modified":"2024-12-23T10:18:28","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T15:18:28","slug":"be-aware-of-cold-weather-dangers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/be-aware-of-cold-weather-dangers\/","title":{"rendered":"Be aware of cold weather dangers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A
If you must be out in cold weather, dress in several layers of loose-fitting clothing. Image from NOAA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Heather N. Kolich, ANR Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winter holidays are behind us, but there\u2019s still plenty of winter ahead. Cold weather presents safety concerns for people and pets who work and play outdoors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wind chill<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wind chill is the difference between actual air temperature and how cold we feel due wind speed. Blowing wind cools our skin and bodies. The faster the wind blows, the more heat it steals, and the colder we feel. Cold weather plus wind can create conditions dangerous enough to warrant advisories from the National Weather Service (NWS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Warning signs of hypothermia include confusion, shivering, difficulty speaking, sleepiness, and stiff muscles. Image from NOAA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In October, the NWS changed the wind chill advisory terms as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Wind Chill Watch is now Extreme Cold Watch<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Wind Chill Warning is now Extreme Cold Warning<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Wind Chill Advisory is now Cold Weather Advisory<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Extreme Cold Watch means that dangerously cold air, with or without wind, is possible. Extreme Cold Warning means that dangerously cold air, with or without wind, is expected, creating conditions that can lead to cold injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"A
    Wind chill is the difference between air temperature and how cold we feel due to how fast the wind blows. Image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Cold stress<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People who work outdoors in the winter may be at risk of cold stress. \u201cCold\u201d can be a relative term; where winters are mild and we aren\u2019t used to cold, temperatures near freezing are considered extreme cold. Wind and moisture \u2013 from precipitation, working environment, or sweat \u2013 speed up heat loss from our bodies. Other cold stress risk factors include improper clothing for conditions, exhaustion, health conditions such as hypertension, hypothyroidism, diabetes, and poor physical conditioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In the effort to keep warm, our bodies increase blood flow to our internal chest and abdomen core. Doing that requires reducing blood flow to our extremities \u2013 our hands, feet, arms, and legs. When this happens, skin temperature drops and we can suffer tissue damage such as frostbite, chilblains, and if conditions are wet, trench foot. After our skin cools, our internal temperature drops, creating conditions for hypothermia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hypothermia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hypothermia is a dangerous physical condition that happens when the body loses heat faster than it produces it. We might expect this to happen when we\u2019re out in cold weather, but hypothermia can also affect some people at indoor temperatures that just seem cool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"A
    After pets go out, always wipe their paws, legs, and bellies to dry them and remove any ice-melting chemicals. Photo by Nikhil Mitra on Unsplash.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Because older people and very young children may not regulate body temperature efficiently, they can suffer from hypothermia at temperatures above 40\u2070 Fahrenheit. Hypothermia can also affect healthy people at mild temperatures if they\u2019re wet from rain or sweat. Signs of hypothermia include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Confusion<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Sleepiness<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Slow or slurred speech<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Shivering<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Memory loss<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Exhaustion<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Lack of control over movements; fumbling hands<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Bright-red, cold skin (infants)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Unusually low energy (infants)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      If you notice any of these symptoms, bring the person into a warm room and take his or her temperature. If the temperature registers below 95\u2070F, immediately call 911 for emergency medical help. In the meantime:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Remove any wet clothing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Use an electric blanket, if available, to warm the core of the body; otherwise use loose layers of dry blankets, towels, or clothing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • If the person is conscious, try to get him or her to sip a warm, non-alcoholic beverage, such as coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Do not try to make an unconscious person drink.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • After the center of the body warms, wrap the person\u2019s head and neck in a warm towel or blanket, leaving the mouth and nose uncovered.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Seek medical treatment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Cold weather safety practices<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        People \u2013 <\/em>If you must be out in cold weather, dress in several layers of loose-fitting clothing. Tight clothing restricts blood circulation, increasing risk of frostbite in extremities. Cover the bits most susceptible to frostbite: nose, ears, toes, cheeks, chin, and fingers. Wear a hat to reduce heat loss from your head. Finish off with water-resistant gloves, boots, and a coat that allows some ventilation to reduce the risk of sweating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"A
        Bring pets inside where they\u2019re sheltered from cold, wind, and moisture from precipitation. Image from Ready.gov<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        Pets<\/em> \u2013 Bring pets inside where they\u2019re sheltered from cold, wind, and rain. Always wipe their paws, legs, and bellies after they\u2019ve been out to dry them and remove any ice-melting chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"A
        Check tire pressure before driving in winter. Tire pressure drops 1-2 pounds for every 10-degree decrease in temperature. Low tire pressure decreases handling response and increases the distance needed to stop when breaking. Image from UGA Extension.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        Driving<\/em> \u2013 Make sure your car safety kit includes cold weather gear, clothing, and cat litter in case you get stuck. Check weather conditions and forecast to learn about potential road hazards before heading out. Check your tire pressure before driving, as well. Tire pressure drops 1-2 pounds with every 10-degree drop in temperature. Low tire pressure decreases handling response and increases the distance needed to come to a stop when breaking. And make noise before starting the engine to alert pet cats or sheltering wildlife to get out of the engine compartment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        The winter holidays are behind us, but there\u2019s still plenty of winter ahead. Cold weather presents safety concerns for people and pets who work and play outdoors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

        Wind chill<\/p>\n

        Wind chill is the difference between actual air temperature and how cold we feel due wind speed. Blowing wind cools our skin and bodies. The faster the wind blows, the more heat it steals, and the colder we feel. Cold weather plus wind can create conditions dangerous enough to warrant advisories from the National Weather Service (NWS).<\/p>\n

        In October, the NWS changed the wind chill advisory terms as follows:<\/p>\n

        Wind Chill Watch is now Extreme Cold Watch<\/p>\n

        Wind Chill Warning is now Extreme Cold Warning<\/p>\n

        Wind Chill Advisory is now Cold Weather Advisory<\/p>\n

        Extreme Cold Watch means that dangerously cold air, with or without wind, is possible. Extreme Cold Warning means that dangerously cold air, with or without wind, is expected, creating conditions that can lead to cold injury.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":452,"featured_media":1522,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,28],"tags":[359,358],"class_list":["post-1530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anr","category-facs","tag-cold-preparation","tag-winter-safety"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/452"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1530"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1530\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1536,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1530\/revisions\/1536"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/forsyth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}