Bitter cold still grips suburbs
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Jim Murphy, of Libertyville, is bundled up as he walks his dog, Edison, in frigid weather at Cook Memorial Park in Libertyville. Gilbert R. Boucher II |
Bitter cold continues to grip the suburbs this morning, just a week after temperatures soared into the 60s.
Temperatures started at 0 and have climbed to 2 degrees, but winds are keeping the windchill at -13.
The good news is we're on the tail end of the cold front and temperatures will be climbing today to 12.
Snow is expected to hit us overnight, but we shouldn't see more than 2 to 4 inches.
We will see temperatures tomorrow in the 20s during the day and teens at night.
With the coldest temperatures in two years blanketing DuPage County for the next several days, the DuPage County Health Department offers the following precautions to keep residents safe and comfortable.
If you have to be outdoors in the cold, here are some tips from the DuPage County Health Department:
• Wear several layers of lightweight clothing rather than one or two layers of heavy garments. The air between the layers of clothing acts as insulation to keep you warmer.
• Cover your head. You lose as much as 50 percent of your body heat through your head.
• Wear mittens rather than fingered gloves. The contact of your fingers keeps your hands warmer.
• Wear warm leg coverings and heavy socks or two pairs of lightweight socks. Wear waterproof boots or sturdy shoes that give you maximum traction.
• Cover your ears and the lower part of your face. The ears, nose, chin and forehead are most susceptible to frostbite.
• Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect the lungs from directly inhaling extremely cold air.
• Use sunglasses to protect your eyes from winter glare.
To treat frostbitten skin, do not rub the area, since friction can cause further skin damage. Seek medical attention immediately. Warm the affected parts of the body with warm water for 20 to 40 minutes. Wrap the frostbitten area in blankets, sweaters, etc.
For a list of heating centers in DuPage County visit: http://www.dupageco.org/clientservices/
For more information on the DuPage County Health Department, follow us on Twitter @DuPageHD or become a fan on Facebook.
