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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
606 AM EST Fri Nov 8 2024

...PENNSYLVANIA WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...

This week has been Winter Weather Awareness Week for Pennsylvania.

Each day we have featured a different educational message concerning
the dangers and safety concerns associated with winter weather.

Today`s Message:

FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA.

Very cold weather can be a health hazard. By dressing properly, you
can safely spend time outdoors enjoying what the area has to offer in
the form of winter recreation, whether it be skiing, snowmobiling, ice
skating, or just taking in the winter scenery.

Very cold temperatures can rob your body of life sustaining warmth,
especially when combined with a strong wind. The combination of cold
temperatures and wind is known as the wind chill. The wind chill is
based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin. As the wind speed
increases, the rate of heat loss from your body also increases. A
temperature of 20 degrees above zero can feel like a bitter cold 6
degrees when the wind blows at 15 miles an hour.

Frostbite can occur when your fingers, cheeks, ears, toes, or even
the tip of your nose is exposed to sub-freezing temperatures for a
prolonged period of time. If any portion of your body becomes numb
due to the cold, go indoors immediately and slowly warm the affected
area to avoid tissue or nerve damage.

Hypothermia is potentially even more dangerous. This health hazard
is defined as the lowering of the body temperature below 95 degrees.
Warning signs of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering,
memory loss, slurred speech, and disorientation. If not treated
immediately by keeping the person warm and seeking medical help,
hypothermia can be fatal.

Hypothermia can affect anyone, but the elderly are the most
susceptible. Over half the fatalities due to exposure from the cold
occur to people over 60 years of age. Young children are also
susceptible.

Be sure to dress properly for the cold. Always wear several layers
of warm, loose fitting clothing. These layers help to retain your
body heat better than one heavy layer, and they can be removed to
avoid perspiration and subsequent chill. The outer layer of clothes
should also be water repellent.

Don`t forget to wear a hat since a significant loss of body heat
occurs through your head. Also, mittens are better than gloves at
protecting your fingers from the extreme cold.

$$