“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” – Author John Steinbeck
How cold is it gonna feel for the next couple of days?
How about colder than a brass toilet seat on the shady side of an iceberg?
With all due apologies for that horrendous joke, the simple fact is north central Ohio is about to experience its coldest 48 hours (or so) of this winter season.
The good news is it’s not going to snow (much) this week. The bad news is we used to say, “It’s too damn cold to snow.”
The low Monday night will dip down to around 8 degrees, according to the National Weather Service office in Cleveland.
As if that wasn’t cold enough, west winds around 11 mile per hour, with gusts as high as 22, will push wind chill values to around 4-below zero.
According to the NWS, the wind chill temperature is how cold people and animals feel when outside.
Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by wind and cold. As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, driving down skin temperature and eventually the internal body temperature.
Therefore, the wind makes it feel much colder.
The high on Tuesday will top out around 17 degrees. But west winds with gusts as high as 28 mph will drop the wind chill values to 6-below zero. There is also a 30-percent chance of snow with accumulation of less than a half-inch possible.
No relief is expected Tuesday night. It will be mostly cloudy with a low around 8 degrees and a wind chill as low as 5-below with continuing west winds of 10 to 14 mph.
Wednesday doesn’t look much better. The high will be 17 with winds 9 to 11 mph. The low Wednesday night will be around 6 degrees with wind chills again chasing zero.
Temperatures are expected to warm heading into the weekend with a high on Friday and Saturday of 35 degrees.
Don’t celebrate just yet, however. The warmer weather will be accompanied by a strong chance of rain and/or snow.
Below is advice from the American Red Cross on how to stay safe and warm(er) when it’s cold outside:
— Stay indoors and wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight warm clothes.
— Check on relatives, neighbors, and friends, particularly if they are elderly or live alone.
— Avoid overexertion, such as shoveling snow, pushing a vehicle, or walking in deep snow.
— Caulk and weather-strip doors and windowsills to keep cold air out. Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside to provide an extra layer of insulation to keep cold air out.
— Make sure you have enough heating fuel on hand.
— Protect pipes from freezing.
— If possible, bring your pets inside during cold winter weather. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas and make sure they have access to non-frozen drinking water. If the animals are outside, make sure their access to food and water is not blocked by snow drifts, ice or other obstacles.
— To avoid frostbite and hypothermia, be aware of the wind chill and dress appropriately.
— Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses much of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly away from the body.
— When outside, stay active to maintain body heat, take frequent breaks from the cold, and avoid unnecessary exposure to any part of the body.
— Avoid overexertion, such as shoveling heavy snow, pushing a vehicle, or walking in deep snow. The strain from the cold and the hard labor may cause a heart attack. Sweating could lead to a chill and hypothermia.
— Drink liquids, such as warm broth or juice, but avoid caffeine and alcohol.
— Get out of the cold immediately if signs of hypothermia or frostbite appear.
— These signs include shaking uncontrollably, getting extremely tired, turning very pale, or getting numb fingers, toes, ears, or nose.
— To treat someone who may have hypothermia or frostbite, gently warm them by wrapping them in a blanket and giving them warm drinks and high-energy foods. Call 911 if these signs are severe.