CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - With the bitterly cold weather still in place today, health officials are warning people about the dangers of being outside.
“The cold weather, within an hour, even less, probably 20 minutes, can start to cause frostbite that can cause devastating injuries to feet, hands, legs, arms and can even kill someone,” says Dr. Stathis Poulakidas, director of Burn Services at Cook County Health.
He says, when temperatures are dangerously cold, people should limit their time outside as much as possible, and, if they do have to go out, use layers and keep those layers as dry as possible.
“Wet shoes, wet socks, wet gloves, it actually raises the temperatures to sustain a frostbite injury. So, instead of 32 degrees it might even be 35 or 40 degrees,” Poulakidas adds.
He says it's also a good idea to always have your cell phone with you, so, that if needed, you can call for help.
The National Weather Service (NWS) says the arctic cold front will linger until Friday, resulting harsh, potentially dangerous conditions.
With strong winds out of the northwest, wind chills this morning were well below zero. Today's high temperature, AccuWeather says, will struggle to get out of the teens. Tonight and overnight, it will once again feel close to zero.
In the midst of the bitter cold, the City of Chicago is opening their network of warming centers. The City’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) says more than 190 public facilities are open and functioning as places to get warm. These include participating Chicago Public Library locations, Chicago Park District, Chicago Police Department and City Colleges of Chicago facilities.
OEMC adds that there are six official warming centers: Englewood Community Service Center, Garfield Community Service Center, Martin Luther King Community Service Center, North Area Community Service Center, South Chicago Community Service Center and Trina Davilia Community Service Center.
AccuWeather says we will begin the deep freeze will begin to thaw by Friday, with highs approaching 30 degrees. By the weekend, temps will enter the 40s .
For the latest on the cold weather, stay tuned to WBBM Newsradio.
WBBM Staff contributed to this story.
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