You'll need to be prepared for dangerously cold temperatures during your Tuesday morning commute. make sure you are dressed for the elements and that your car has everything it needs to run and travel safely.
The wind chill temperature is how cold we feel when we are outside. Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by wind and cold. as the wind picks up it takes heat away from our body which sends our skin temperature down and eventually our internal body temperature as well. During temperatures like we are having on Tuesday skin can freeze within thirty minutes.
In these extreme cold temperatures you also need to be aware of frostbite. you have frostbite when your body tissue freezes. The most susceptible parts of the body are fingers, toes, ear lobes, or the tip of the nose. Symptoms include a loss of feeling in the extremity and a white or pale appearance. You'll want to get medical help immediately if you have frostbite and remember the area that's affected should only be re-warmed slowly.
Hypothermia occurs when body temperature falls below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Warning signs include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and exhaustion.
AAA also recommends that you keep an extra close eye on your car during extreme cold weather. You'll want to make sure your battery is well maintained. Check all the battery terminals and connections and be sure they are all clean and attached tightly. In cold weather your battery needs all the power it can get. If the battery is over three years old you'll want to get it checked and maybe even replaced.
If you walk outside to find that your door locks are frozen do not pour warm water on them. This will very likely only make that water freeze as well making the situation worse. If you have a can of key lock de-icer you can try that. you can also try to warm up your key first which will help heat the lock from the inside.
Also make sure you are dressed for these extreme cold temperatures and that you have your winter survival kit in your car. getting stuck in temperatures this low will be a dangerous situation if you are not prepared.