Subj : Winter Weather 2020 (F) To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Fri Dec 04 2020 12:02 am Public Information Statement National Weather Service Little Rock AR 600 AM CST Fri Dec 4 2020 November 30th through December 4th is Winter Weather Awareness Week in Arkansas. The purpose of this week is to remind people what winter weather can bring, and how to deal with hazardous winter conditions. Now is the time to prepare for the upcoming winter season. Today's topic is the cold of winter. When Arkansans think of winter weather, usually a picture of falling snow and temperatures in the 20s and lower 30s comes to mind. However, winter weather can be not only dangerous, but possibly deadly in some cases. Winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm itself. Traffic accidents on icy roads account for a vast majority of deaths. Heart attacks caused by people shoveling snow and hypothermia from prolonged exposure to the cold are also consequences of severe winter weather. An important factor this winter will be energy costs. Prices for natural gas and propane could cause some people to heat their homes inadequately in an effort to avoid large energy bills. If too little heat is used, hypothermia will become a greater threat than usual. In case of power outages, gasoline or diesel powered generators must not be used indoors. Carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas, can build up in enclosed areas such as houses and garages and result in death. FROSTBITE Frostbite is damage to body tissue caused by that tissue being frozen. It causes a loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, earlobes or the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, get medical help immediately. If you must wait for help, begin to treat the affected area by warming it slowly. WIND CHILL Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the combined effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body, driving down the body temperature. Remember that animals are affected by wind chill as well. W I N D C H I L L C H A R T -------------------------------------------------------------------- :WIND: TEMPERATURE : -------------------------------------------------------------------- :CALM: 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20: : 5 : 31 25 19 13 7 1 -5 -11 -16 -22 -28 -34: : 10 : 27 21 15 9 3 -4 -10 -16 -22 -28 -35 -41: : 15 : 25 19 13 6 0 -7 -13 -19 -26 -32 -39 -45: : 20 : 24 17 11 4 -2 -9 -15 -22 -29 -35 -42 -48: : 25 : 23 16 9 3 -4 -11 -17 -24 -31 -37 -44 -51: : 30 : 22 15 8 1 -5 -12 -19 -26 -33 -39 -46 -53: : 35 : 21 14 7 0 -7 -14 -21 -27 -34 -41 -48 -55: --------------------------------------------------------------------- The wind speed used in the wind chill formula is calculated for the average height of the human face, or about 5 feet above the ground. In contrast, wind in most weather observations in the United States is measured about 33 feet above the ground. The formula also uses updated heat transfer theory, which factors heat loss from the body to its surroundings during cold and windy conditions. In arriving at the formula, testing was actually done on people in a chilled wind tunnel. Sensors attached to the people measured heat loss from their bodies. At a wind chill of 18 degrees below zero, frostbite can develop on exposed skin within 30 minutes. An important thing to remember about wind chill is that it was designed to apply to living beings only. For example, a metal water pipe in air that is 35 degrees will attain a temperature of 35 degrees, as will the water inside. The wind may be blowing at 20 mph producing a wind chill of zero degrees, but the pipe and the water will remain at 35 degrees. HYPOTHERMIA Hypothermia is just a complicated word for lower-than-normal body temperature. Hypothermia can be brought on in many ways including exposure to periods of bitterly cold weather or immersion in cold lake or river water. Remember that hypothermia is the actual lowering of body temperature. Hypothermia is the most dangerous and life-threatening result of exposure to extremely cold air. Some of the warning signs associated with hypothermia are uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion. A good way to detect hypothermia is to take the persons temperature. If it is below 95 degrees fahrenheit, seek medical care immediately. If medical care is not available, begin warming the person slowly by warming the body core first with either your own body heat or warm dry clothes and blankets. Do not warm the extremities such as arms and legs first as this could push the cold blood toward the heart and can lead to heart failure. Issues such as hypothermia can be diminished by wearing the proper clothing when planning to be out in the cold weather for an extended time. Wear several layers of loose-fitting, light weight, warm clothing. If you become too warm, layers can be removed to avoid heat build-up and perspiration. Outer garments should be tightly woven, water repellent and hooded. Try to keep your mouth covered to protect your lungs, and keep your hands in mittens, not gloves, to protect your fingers. Overall, the best rule is to try to stay dry. Finally, be sure to check on the elderly. High heating costs could cause some older people to set the thermostat too low, leading to hypothermia. Remember, elderly people often have more difficulty with their sense of warm and cold. && Please visit our web site at https://www.weather.gov/lzk $$ --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (11:1/214) .