Our slow-moving storm will finally be on the move over the next 24 hours!  This morning, it is still in Missouri, but by tomorrow afternoon, it will be near Chicago:

The storm will push a cold front through tonight, so today and tonight are the best chance of rain for us.  It looks like slightly drier air will be in place Thursday morning, but the chance of showers will return during the afternoon, as we get a little daytime heating.  And we won’t see *much* daytime heating… with highs just a bit cooler than we have been… right near 50 degrees.  That is still above normal!  Average highs are in the upper 40s this time of year.

I do think we are in the “cooler” part of the weather pattern… and over the next few weeks, we’ll start to feel more of a chill.  And perhaps see a few more snowflakes?  I do not think this is going to be an extremely snowy winter for us… but we may end up above-normal in precip.  These are my initial thoughts on the weather pattern that has set up for us!

On to Winter Safety Awareness… today, we’re talking extreme cold!  Exposure to cold can cause frostbite and hypothermia, and can even become life-threatening.  We are mainly concerned with temperatures below zero, but it might not even have to be THAT cold for those who are most susceptible (infants and the elderly).

WIND CHILL:  This is not the exact air temperature, but rather how the combination of temperature and wind FEEL on skin.  Sometimes we call this the “Feels Like” temperature.  As wind increases, heat escapes from the body at a faster and faster rate, driving down your core body temp. 

FROSTBITE:  This is damage to body tissue caused by extreme cold.  A wind chill of -20°F can cause frostbite in just 30-minutes!  Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a white or pale look to extremities… such as fingers, toes, ears, or noses.  If symptoms are detected, it is important to get medical help immediately!  If you’re not able to get help right away, slowly warm the affected areas if you can. 

HYPOTHERMIA: This is a condition where the core body temperature drops to low levels.  Hypothermia can kill, and for those that survive, there are likely to be continuing liver, kidney, and pancreas problems.  Warning signs include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion.  Take the person’s temperature, and if it’s below 95°F, get medical care ASAP!

If medical help is not possible, warm the person slowly, starting with the body core.  Warming arms/legs first can draw cold blood toward the heart leading to heart failure.  Get the person into dry clothing and wrap them in a blanket, covering the head and the neck.  Warm broth is the first food to offer.

Jamie