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Tag: frostbite

  • Dangerous wind chills move into DC area behind an Arctic cold front – WTOP News

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    Temperatures will take a steady nosedive Saturday morning as major wind gusts hit the D.C. region, making it feel much colder.

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    How the DC region is handling ‘snowcrete’

    Temperatures will take a steady nosedive Saturday morning as major wind gusts hit the D.C. region, making it feel much colder.

    But it’s not just the bitter cold that residents need to worry about.

    “Damaging winds could blow down some trees and power lines, so power outages will be possible,” said 7News First Alert Meteorologist Jordan Evans.

    Expect to see wind gusts of 45 to 60 mph, according to WTOP meteorologist Mike Stinneford.

    “Wind chills will be as cold as 15 below zero,” Stinneford said. Be careful out there because weather this cold means you could get frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes, he said.

    An extreme cold warning and a high wind warning went into effect at 4 a.m. Saturday.

    Stinneford said wind gusts of 62 mph were recorded on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday and full wind restrictions are now in effect on the bridge.

    The high winds will be an issue all day Saturday throughout the region until around sunset, with temperatures in the teens to lower 20s in the afternoon. The wind will remain steady and strong overnight with wind chills continuing around zero.

    The frigid temperatures are expected to stick around a bit longer. The extreme cold warning expires Sunday morning at 10 a.m.

    Cold conditions will persist into early Sunday, with temperatures remaining below freezing and wind chills staying below zero.

    “By Sunday, we’ll see breezy conditions, but still cold,” said 7News First Alert Meteorologist Steve Rudin. “Monday and Tuesday of next week, we start a modest warming trend.”

    In a release from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, she encouraged residents to remain vigilant while commuting and utilize the city’s Shelter Hotline if they have neighbors experiencing homelessness.

    Her office also recommended applying a salt or sand mix when shoveling. Adding ice melt can help prevent refreezing.

    Now that the city is reinforcing its shoveling enforcement, officials are also reminding residents and businesses to clear snow from their sidewalks within the first eight hours of daylight or face a fine up to $150.

    People experiencing homelessness in D.C. have access to hypothermia shelters during extremely cold weather. A list of those shelters is available online.

    For those still dealing with issues from delayed trash removal and pickup, the D.C. Department of Public Works will continue tracking missed trash routes over the weekend in residential areas and alleys.

    How to avoid frostbite

    With the windy, cold weather set to take over the D.C. region this weekend, one area doctor is asking the public to be mindful of how much time they spend outside to avoid frostbite.

    Dr. Taryn Travis, with MedStar Health and Children’s National Hospital, told WTOP the cold-weather injury doesn’t start out painful. However, once numbness and tingling appear, that is a sign from the body to head inside immediately.

    “Frostbite has a couple different ways that it causes damage, but basically, just the cold exposure itself causes frostbite,” Travis said.

    Frostbite most often affects the hands and feet, as well as other parts of the body exposed to the elements.

    Once you are in a cold environment, the body will divert blood flow away from the fingers and toes to protect the core. Travis said most frostbite injuries occur on the hands, feet, fingers, toes, noses, ears and other parts of the body not connected to the torso.

    “It can happen very quickly, and it can happen with small areas of your body not covered and protected from that cold temperature and that additive wind,” she said. “Most importantly, people should keep in mind that when you start to feel numbness and tingling, that’s your body trying to tell you, ‘Hey, I need to get warm, or things are going to go south here.”

    The windy conditions increase the risk of frostbite. According to Travis, a person can start to feel the effects within 30 minutes of exposure if not protected from the cold. Even rubbing your hands together to create warmth will not help, she said.

    “People who wait on these things and try home remedies or see if it’ll get better on its own are people who end up at risk for amputation,” she said. “So, we don’t want people, other than getting warm again, to try to do anything to treat themselves at home.”

    FORECAST

    SATURDAY: COLD & WIND ALERT
    Very windy and very cold
    Highs: 15-22
    Wind Chills: -5 to 5
    Winds: Northwest 20-30 mph, gusts 45-60 mph

    SATURDAY NIGHT: COLD ALERT
    Clear, windy and bitterly cold. 
    Lows: 5-10
    Wind Chills: -15 to 0
    Winds: Northwest 15-25 mph, gusts 30-35 mph

    SUNDAY: COLD ALERT
    Mostly cloudy, breezy
    Highs: 22-26
    Wind Chills: 10
    Winds: Northwest 5-15 mph, gusts 25-30 mph

    MONDAY:
    Partly cloudy
    Highs: 29-33
    Winds: West 5 mph

    CURRENT CONDITIONS

    WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer, Ciara Wells and Jose Umana contributed to this report.

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Jessica Kronzer

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  • Flurries in parts of DC region ahead of extreme cold, high winds – WTOP News

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    Some light flurries fell in parts of the D.C. region ahead of a blast of cold air and high winds expected to arrive early Saturday.

    Light flurries fell Friday in the D.C. area ahead of a blast of cold air and high winds expected to arrive early Saturday.

    The National Weather Service said light snowfall will continue overnight into the weekend. Though less than an inch of snow is expected to fall, it will likely stick and create slick spots on area roads as temperatures drop below freezing on Saturday morning.

    If left untreated, roads will be slick and could worsen already rocky conditions for commuters dodging lanes blocked by leftover ice.

    Don’t count on warmer temperatures to appear and melt away any potential snowfall off streets and sidewalks.

    Wind chills are expected to drop to 10 degrees below zero by Saturday morning right as northwest winds of 10 to 20 mph move in.

    “We’ll see that cold front sweep across the area from west to east, winds are going to rapidly increase,” said 7News First Alert Meteorologist Steve Rudin. “Temperatures will fall into the teens and 20s.”

    An extreme cold warning and a high wind warning go into effect at 4 a.m. Saturday.

    “Our high temperature tomorrow happens before sunrise, in the middle 20s,” Rudin said. “But during the afternoon, temperatures only around 15 to 20 degrees.”

    Those high winds are forecast to last through Saturday evening at 7 p.m., with gusts  up to 60 mph expected.

    The frigid temperatures are expected to stick around a bit longer. The extreme cold warning expires Sunday morning at 10 a.m.

    Cold conditions will persist into early Sunday, with temperatures remaining below freezing and wind chills staying below zero.

    “By Sunday, we’ll see breezy conditions, but still cold,” Rudin said. “Monday and Tuesday of next week, we start a modest warming trend.”

    In a release from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, she encouraged residents to remain vigilant while commuting and utilize the city’s Shelter Hotline if they have neighbors experiencing homelessness.

    Her office also recommended applying a salt or sand mix when shoveling. Adding ice melt can help prevent refreezing.

    Now that the city is reinforcing its shoveling enforcement, officials are also reminding residents and businesses to clear snow from their sidewalks within the first eight hours of daylight or face a fine up to $150.

    People experiencing homelessness in D.C. have access to hypothermia shelters during extremely cold weather. A list of those shelters is available online.

    For those still dealing with issues from delayed trash removal and pickup, the D.C. Department of Public Works will continue tracking missed trash routes over the weekend in residential areas and alleys.

    How to avoid frostbite

    With the windy, cold weather set to take over the D.C. region this weekend, one area doctor is asking the public to be mindful of how much time they spend outside to avoid frostbite.

    Dr. Taryn Travis, with MedStar Health and Children’s National Hospital, told WTOP the cold-weather injury doesn’t start out painful. However, once numbness and tingling appear, that is a sign from the body to head inside immediately.

    “Frostbite has a couple different ways that it causes damage, but basically, just the cold exposure itself causes frostbite,” Travis said.

    Frostbite most often affects the hands and feet, as well as other parts of the body exposed to the elements.

    Once you are in a cold environment, the body will divert blood flow away from the fingers and toes to protect the core. Travis said most frostbite injuries occur on the hands, feet, fingers, toes, noses, ears and other parts of the body not connected to the torso.

    “It can happen very quickly, and it can happen with small areas of your body not covered and protected from that cold temperature and that additive wind,” she said. “Most importantly, people should keep in mind that when you start to feel numbness and tingling, that’s your body trying to tell you, ‘Hey, I need to get warm, or things are going to go south here.”

    The windy conditions increase the risk of frostbite. According to Travis, a person can start to feel the effects within 30 minutes of exposure if not protected from the cold. Even rubbing your hands together to create warmth will not help, she said.

    “People who wait on these things and try home remedies or see if it’ll get better on its own are people who end up at risk for amputation,” she said. “So, we don’t want people, other than getting warm again, to try to do anything to treat themselves at home.”

    FORECAST

    FRIDAY NIGHT:
    Partly cloudy
    Increasing Winds
    Lows: 15-25
    Winds: Northwest 10-15, Gusts 30+ mph

    SATURDAY: WIND & COLD ALERTS
    Mostly sunny, windy
    Highs: 25-30
    Wind Chills: -15 to 0
    Winds: Northwest 20-30 mph, Gusts 40-60 mph

    SUNDAY: COLD ALERT
    Partly cloudy
    Highs: 25-32
    Winds: Northwest 5-15, Gusts to 25 mph

    CURRENT CONDITIONS

    WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer, Ciara Wells and Jose Umana contributed to this report.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Jessica Kronzer

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  • Doctors warn frostbite risk rising as dangerous cold grips the DC region – WTOP News

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    As extreme cold grips the D.C. region, doctors warn the risk of frostbite is rising.

    As extreme cold grips the D.C. region, doctors warn the risk of frostbite is rising.

    Frostbite is more than a skin injury. It affects blood flow and the body’s blood vessels, according to Dr. Adam Friedman, chair of dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

    “(When) we think about frostbite, this is not just about skin, it’s about blood flow. It’s about our blood vessels,” he said.

    Friedman said the extreme cold can constrict blood vessels, reduce oxygen flow and allow ice crystals to form, damaging the skin and deeper tissues.

    What to do if frostbite is suspected

    Signs can develop quickly, sometimes during routine winter tasks such as scraping ice or shoveling for long periods of time.

    “Early on, patients may feel intense cold, tingling or burning that ultimately gives way to numbness,” Friedman said.

    People may also notice their fingers losing feeling or turning pale.

    “The skin may look red at first, but then it often turns maybe pale or white and has this kind of waxy or firm feel to it,” he said.

    If frostbite is suspected, rewarming should be done gently indoors.

    “Rapid rewarming is key, ideally in warm, not scalding hot water, because often when you lose sensation, you can burn yourself,” he said.

    Rewarming should usually last 20 to 30 minutes. He also said rubbing the area should be avoided.

    “Addressing it early is going to be essential to preventing long term damage,” he said.

    How to prevent frostbite

    Friedman said the most effective protection is limiting time in the cold.

    “Limit exposure, check skin sites often and rewarm early if numbness or pain sets in,” Friedman said.

    He advised dressing in layers, keeping your skin dry, blocking out the wind and avoiding tight clothing that can restrict circulation.

    “It’s all about preparation with respect to protecting as much as the exposed sites as possible, dressing in layers, making sure that you’re wearing clothing that maybe can wet wick or isn’t wet or damp to begin with, as that can lead to additional injury,” he said

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Mike Murillo

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  • US braces for more snow, ice after deadly winter storm

    US braces for more snow, ice after deadly winter storm

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    Another winter storm looks poised to pack a punch similar to its predecessor that recently swept down from Canada and across a large swath of the U.S.

    On the heels of a deadly winter storm, the next arctic blasts will bring more record-setting freezes across the country, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

    This next round of bitter cold will spread from the central U.S. into the East, beginning Wednesday and into the weekend.

    L​ow temperatures will only reach the 20s, perhaps teens, along the northern Gulf Coast, from eastern Texas to northern Florida Wednesday morning. Lows are expected to reach the t​eens in the Deep South on Wednesday morning, then again this weekend.

    New Yorkers on Tuesday walk their dogs in New York City’s snowy Central Park. A fresh round of arctic blasts are expected to deliver more record-setting freezes across the nation.
    AFP/Getty Images

    On Saturday morning, lows in the minus 20s are possible as far south as Iowa and Nebraska, according to the NWS.

    According to AccuWeather, accumulating snow can be expected from Chicago, St. Louis and Nashville, Tennessee, to Washington, D.C., New York and Boston prior to the weekend.

    The NWS forecasts “Heavy mountain snows for the Northwest and Rockies, along with ice storms for portions of the Pacific Northwest. Bands of heavy lake-effect snow continue for the Great Lakes as snow tapers off in the Northeast. A return to more typical winter temperatures for many on Wednesday after the brutal cold but another Arctic blast is expected late this week.”

    Strong winds will also accompany the arctic air to produce dangerous wind chills, especially across the Plains, Midwest and parts of the South. The NWS said some wind chills in the Northern Plains could drop into the minus 30s, which can quickly lead to frostbite on exposed skin.

    Wind chills could drop below zero across portions of the South, which could result in hypothermia or frostbite in less than a half hour.

    Newsweek reached out to the NWS via email on Tuesday night for additional comment.

    A winter storm on Monday night into Tuesday snapped a two-year snow drought in the Interstate 95 to mid-Atlantic corridor.

    New York City experienced its first snowfall of more than an inch in over 700 days on Monday, while Nashville received more than a year’s worth of snow.

    “Nashville’s official snowfall accumulation was 7.6″. Of that total, 6.3″ occurred yesterday, breaking the daily snowfall record for January 15. Normal annual snowfall is 4.7″, so we received more than an entire winter’s worth of snow in just one event,” the NWS office in Nashville posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.

    According to the Associated Press, recent snow and strong winds have been blamed for at least seven deaths in Oregon, including two people who died due to a fallen tree; the other five were believed to have died of hypothermia in temperatures that hovered in the teens and 20s.

    Since Friday, deaths related to winter storms have also been reported in Arkansas, Mississippi, New Jersey, Tennessee and Utah.