Count your fingers and toes now. A cold front blowing across upstate New York early next week will mean low temperatures below zero — minus 10 one night — and wind chills of 25 below, the National Weather Service reports.
A deepening low pressure will bring frigid arctic air across the Great Lakes, and a bit of lake effect snow, through Sunday. But that will be followed by bitterly cold weather starting Sunday night.
The low Sunday will be about 3 degrees, with a high Monday of 13, the weather service reports.
Expect a low temperature Monday night of 4 below zero, and 10 below zero on Tuesday night, with a high Monday of about 13 degrees and a high Tuesday of 6.
Wind chill will make it seem ever colder: Expect a wind chill factor as low as 25 below. That can cause frostbite on unprotected skin in as little as 30 minutes, the weather service warned.
To stay safe in those conditions, dress in several loose layers, a hat, and cover exposed skin. The most susceptible parts of the body are fingers, toes, ear lobes and the tip of the nose, the weather service reports.
Avoid breaking a sweat; the perspiration can cool the body quickly, leading to hypothermia.
Symptoms of frostbite include a loss of feeling in the extremity and a white or pale appearance. Get medical attention immediately for frostbite. The area should be slowly rewarmed using warm, not hot, water.