Health risks and safety tips for winter weather

AccuWeather

Frigid air and bone-chilling winds from winter weather can lead to health risks such as frostbite and hypothermia. AccuWeather's Ali Reid shares some tips on how you can combat freezing temperatures.

Transcript

00:00bitter chill to millions. Temperatures are dropping rapidly with some areas

00:04feeling the coldest ever this season so far. Our Ali Reed is Brave the Elements live outside

00:10of Lumberton, New Jersey this morning to explain how these temperatures can pose

00:14some serious health risks. Ali, what can you tell us?

00:20Good morning, guys. Well, it was just last week when families were still able to enjoy playgrounds

00:26just like this one behind me. Temperatures were particularly warm across the New Jersey area,

00:33at least warm enough for them to still enjoy a park like this one. That's not going to be

00:38the case leading into this weekend and really heading into next week. Right now, it is a bitter

00:4428 degrees, and those temperatures will continue to drop across the central and eastern parts of

00:50the United States. But it's not just the thermometer reading that has experts really

00:55concerned here over the next couple of days. Those bone-chilling winds that we're going to see and

01:01have seen will make it much colder because of it. As we move into this weekend and next week,

01:06preparation is really key here. Taking precautions now can prevent serious health risks later on,

01:12especially for those who may be at a higher risk. These conditions can cause frostbite and

01:18hypothermia to develop rather quickly. Frostbite can occur in as little as 30 minutes on exposed

01:24skin when wind chills can be this extreme. Fingers, toes, noses, and ears are the most vulnerable.

01:31It's hypothermia, though, that doctors say is the biggest concern.

01:37People initially start to get confused. They have cardiac issues where their heart output

01:42will decrease. They can even start slowing down in their breathing and have other systemic issues.

01:48Obviously, there's more directed injuries like frostbite and so forth. But the

01:54primary concern or the most concerning thing would be hypothermia.

02:01If you have to be outdoors, layering is key with insulated waterproof outerwear and hats,

02:06gloves, and scarves to protect extremities. Keeping skin dry is also crucial since wet

02:11clothing can accelerate heat loss. If you can, check on your elderly neighbors,

02:16friends, or family members who might struggle with the cold. And don't forget pets, right?

02:21They are susceptible to the cold, just like humans. It's also important to note that as

02:25these temperatures continue to drop over the weekend and into next week, a number of cities

02:30across the central and eastern parts of the United States will also be opening up warming centers. So

02:36if you know someone that may happen to need that, that is important to note right now.

02:40But I mentioned it in the last hour. I am in a neighborhood where children, even still into

02:46January, are riding bikes. They're walking to school. And so for those parents or guardians

02:52that might be sitting at home over the next couple of days leading into the start of the school week

02:57next week, make sure your children are bundled up. That's going to be extremely important

03:03as we go into Monday.

03:05It's like that's how I want to dress for outside. So it's important too that you can always do that

03:09before picking out the outfits for the school day. Our Ali Reid live for us outside in Lumberton,

03:13New Jersey this morning. Thank you for the important information.

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