Winter weather warnings have been issued to millions of residents across five states as the National Weather Service (NWS) warns that “extreme cold” could “lead to frostbite and hypothermia, even with limited exposure.”
States Affected by Extreme Cold
Florida, North and South Carolina, Alaska, and Montana have been hit with snow, extreme cold, “dangerously cold” wind chills, and freeze warnings from Sunday night through Tuesday—and in some cases, lasting until Wednesday.
The NWS advises those in affected areas to dress in layers, keep pets inside, protect plants, check in on elderly neighbors to make sure they’re warm enough, and wrap up or drain outdoor pipes to prevent them from bursting due to plummeting temperatures.
Florida
In Volusia, Lake, Seminole, Orange, Brevard, Osceola, Indian River, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and inland Martin Counties, the temperature is expected to drop somewhere between 22F and 27F—which is well below freezing—overnight on Sunday into mid-Monday morning, and between 27F and 32F overnight on Monday into Tuesday morning.
For the coastal Martin County region, temperatures are likely to drop to as low as 20F overnight Sunday into Monday morning, and then to 28F overnight Monday into Tuesday morning.
North and South Carolina
Parts of North and South Carolina should continue to prepare for “hazardous travel,” as snow, black ice, and cold temperatures are likely to make roads, stairs, sidewalks, and driveways slippery until around mid-Monday morning.
Alaska
The central and eastern Beaufort Sea Coast, and the north and northwest Arctic Coast are expected to get another inch of accumulated snow, and winds reaching 50 mph overnight Sunday, through Monday and Tuesday, dying down by Wednesday afternoon. These conditions could cause blowing snow and “blizzard conditions,” reducing visibility to less than half a mile.
Montana
Parts of northeast Montana are expected to get around an inch of snow and a “light glaze” of ice overnight Sunday until Monday night. The NWS has urged motorists to “Be prepared for slippery roads. Slow down and use caution while driving.”
Advice for Extreme Cold Conditions
The NWS warns that everyone can be affected by extreme cold, but those in sensitive groups—which include babies, the elderly, those with chronic illness, those who work outside, and homeless people—are particularly vulnerable.
Extreme cold can lead to frostbite and hypothermia, and the NWS advises those in affected areas to watch out for key signs and “take immediate action upon the first detection of either.”
Frostbite symptoms include:
- Skin color changes that can range from bright red to white, gray, and yellow
- Skin that feels waxy or hard
- Either complete numbness or pain in the affected area
Hypothermia symptoms include:
- Confusion
- Shivering
- Difficulty speaking
- Sudden tiredness
- Stiff muscles
