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12/10/13, "Earliest Subzero Temps Since ’95; More Bitter Cold And Snow Coming," chicago.cbslocal.com
"Temperatures dipped below zero overnight, the earliest it has been that cold in Chicago in 18 years. The last time Chicago had subzero temperatures this early in the
season was Dec. 9, 1995.
Unfortunately for Chicagoans, it won’t be long
before the mercury is back below zero.
Though temperatures will get into the low 20s on Tuesday, Chicago
could see subzero temperatures again Wednesday night. Before that,
Chicago likely will get more snow.
A winter weather advisory has been issued for the Chicago area from midnight Tuesday night through 10 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The snow will begin sometime in the early hours of Wednesday morning,
with the heaviest snowfall likely between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. in the
Chicago area, according to the National Weather Service. A total of 2 to
4 inches are expected.
Wednesday night, temperatures could again drop to zero or below. The frigid temperatures make it especially dangerous for drivers, as
road salt loses its effectiveness when temperatures dip below zero.
That means drivers have to be concerned roads are slicker than they
appear. With up to four inches of snow in the forecast for Wednesday
morning, roads could be very dangerous Wednesday night, when the
temperature could get as low as four below zero.
Meantime, at the emergency room at Loyola University Medical Center
in Maywood, doctors have been preparing for a sudden influx of
hypothermia patients. It’s something they have to prepare for every year
when temperatures are dangerously cold.
“Every winter we have patients who come in where their core body
temperature is low, so we deal with hypothermia regularly,” said Dr.
Christina Hantsch. “Hypothermia, frostbite, cold-induced exacerbation of
underlying illnesses – these are all things that in emergency medicine
we’re accustomed to in this area.”
One example would be when a patient falls through ice, but Hantsch
said hypothermia also can set in gradually, even when temperatures are
not below freezing. “If you’re outside in a relatively cool climate for a while without
appropriate protection, then you can develop hypothermia over the course
of the hours that you’re out,” she said.
The best advice in sub-freezing temperatures is to dress in layers –
including a hat, gloves or mittens, and a scarf – and avoid being
outdoors for an extended period of time." via Drudge
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