From: Michael Dill ESDA Director
Re: Freezing Temperatures
Date: 01/28/2019
This Afternoon: Low 20s turning mostly cloudy. A quick shot of light snow showers with no to very light accumulation. Otherwise, a cold and breezy day. Wind chills -5 to 10. Winds: Northwest 15-25, gusting to 30 mph. This evening: -6 degrees with windchill factor -13 degrees, with snow showers possible. Wind chills in the single digits on Wednesday January 30.
A polar vortex is blasting the U.S. Midwest and Northeast this week, subjecting millions of Americans to dangerous subzero temperatures.
The extreme cold is expected to smash dozens of records in the Midwest and Great Lakes region. Temperatures there will drop to 20-40 degrees below zero, with winds chills of 35-60 below.
But even less extreme cold weather can be harmful, here are the top dangers:
Frostbite. This results from cold temperatures damaging parts of your body, most often your ears, nose, cheeks, chin, fingers, and toes.
Frostbitten skin may look white or gray and can feel hard or waxy. Blisters can form. You may also have trouble moving that part of your body. In severe cases, the skin will turn black.
Hypothermia. This condition occurs when your body temperature drops below 95˚F (35˚C). This results from your body losing more heat than it can make, such as when you are exposed to cold or water.
Hypothermia can show up as shivering, clumsiness, confusion, tiredness, or urinating more than usual. If not treated quickly, hypothermia can cause severe health problems, including death.
Heart problems. Cold weather can increase your risk of a heart attack. When you’re outside in the cold, your heart works harder to keep you warm — leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure.
This can cause heart problems, especially if you have an existing heart condition. If you aren’t used to regular exercise, strenuous activities like shoveling snow may put you at risk for a heart attack.
Here are some tips to help you stay warm when the temperature plummets and the wind roars:
Wear several layers of lightweight and warm clothing so you can adjust as you warm up or cool down. Loose-fitting clothes trap warm air better than tight-fitting ones. The topmost layer should be water and wind resistant.
be warm enough with just gloves but take along mittens or another pair of gloves that fit over those for when you stop moving.
Cover your head and face with a hat and scarf or mask to protect Mittens are always warmer than gloves. If you’re exercising, your hands mayyour skin. Wear sunglasses or goggles to protect your eyes.
Wear warm, waterproof boots with good tread to prevent slips and falls. If the ice is bad, you can put traction cleats or crampons onto your boots.
Staying safe in extreme cold, though, also means thinking ahead.
Daytime Warming Centers in East St. Louis
East St. Louis City Hall 301 Riverpark Dr. 618 482-6800 Mon.- Fri. 8:30 am til 4:30pm
Clyde Jordan Center 6755 State St. 618 293-6700 Mon.- Fri. 8:00am til 4:00PM
East St. Louis Public Library 5300 State St. 618 397-0991 Mon.- Thurs. 9:00am til 8:00pm Fri. & Sat. 9:00am til 5:00pm
St. Vincent de Paul 3718 State St. 618 271-6230 Mon.- Fri 9:00am til 3:00pm
Overnight Warming Centers in East St. Louis
Continuum of Life Care Center 1274 N 37th618 271-2522 Will be open at 4;00pm until the following morning every dayfrom Jan. 28 til Jan. 31, 2019
Trinity Outreach 5110 Forest Blvd. 618 482-4246 Will be open at 4;00pm until the following morning for the next couple of days.
Emergency Management
Michael Dill