my area is a complete mess. its gonna be a windchill of -55 in chicago, which also has a considerable homeless population. we're right next to a great lake, so we're getting the worst of it. theyve cancelled school for 3 days. you could die in only a few hours. chicago had a worse polar vertex (2013-2014). i cant post images bc my internet is that fucked but..! this is what happened last time:
today, a middle/high school in my area had pipe breakage. it flooded multiple. fucking. rooms. with ice cold water.
it could get as low as -60F/-51C windchill in places like minneapolis. hell, wisconsin has been put in a state of emergency.
- if youre gonna go outside, dress in multiple, loose layers. it is better than 1 huge coat. why? the air will be trapped within those layers, helping you stay warm. think: undershirts, long johns, leggings under snow pants, sweaters under jackets under coats, whatever. just stay warm! make sure your gloves/mittens fit well. clunky gloves/mittens mean you have to take them off to do delicate tasks, which leads to frostbite. a good way to test this is to try dressing and undressing with them on. if it doesn't work, invest in a better pair. they can be expensive, but the medical costs of frostbite are far worse.
- you want three to four layers: the closest layer should keep you dry (KEEP IT THIN! no matter how cold. it wicks better); 2nd/3rd should be a thick insulator like wool, fleece, or polyester/blend; the top layer should be a shell made of something like nylon, and it should be wind/waterproof. your biggest problem wont be just the cold—you can get too warm and sweaty. once you stop moving, hypothermia will set much faster. if you start sweating, take off a layer or slow down whatever you're doing. try to get zip-up pockets: on windy days, snow could get in your pockets then melt into icy water. cover up your ears! they get frostbite, too.
- make sure your windows & doors are well sealed. even if your heating system is good, you WILL lose heat thru cracks, which can is v expensive. its estimated that the average house loses 30% of their heat through this. one way to check is to hold a lit candle to the window/door on a breezy day. if the flame bends, you know theres an air leak nearby. once you can travel safely, here's some methods for fixing it.
- this seems like common sense but it isnt: for the love of pete and barbara, keep your fucking pets inside. if its too cold for you, its (probably) too cold for them. if you have a dog, you can use booties or petroleum jelly to keep salt/ice off their paws.
- take extra care around vulnerable people. small children, the elderly, etc. make sure they are dressed warmly, even inside. call your homebound loved ones to make sure theyre safe. if you live in the chicago area and need overnight shelter, CALL 311. its the non-emergency alternative to 911, and chicago is currently offering shelter services. 311 is available in other cities but i'm not aware if they have the same services.
- if you get frostbitten, do NOT rub or massage the area. it might hurt, but you can take a pain reliever for that. you will cause more damage by rubbing.
- another uncommon sense thing: please, please avoid walking on frostbitten feet. dont use super hot water or heating pads to warm your frostbite; it should be warm, but not too warm. similarly, dont use fires, stoves, or anything like that. you literally cant feel frostbitten tissue so you could burn yourself instead. use a warm water bath or wet heat (ex: facecloth soaked in warm water) for 30 minutes. this water should be around body temperature or a bit warmer (98-104F, 36-40C). dont break any blisters either; theyre like a bandage. allow them to heal on their own. DONT REWARM IF YOURE GONNA BE IN THE COLD AGAIN. do not fucking do this. refreezing your tissues will cause deeper damage. get out of the cold as soon as possible.
- carbon monoxide poisoning is a thing. carbon monoxide (CO) is incredibly poisonous at high levels, but you can't detect it since its odorless, soundless, and colorless. it happens when CO builds up in interiors due to things like furnaces, generators, gas ranges, kerosene heaters, and even cigarettes. this occurs frequently in winter, with everything sealed in and furnaces on blast. you can die from this. make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector in your house. here's the CDC FAQ, which has the symptoms and causes, as well as how to avoid it.
- frozen & burst pipes also exist. this is sadly common, and can cause thousands in water damage. water expands as it freezes. when it expands beyond the pipe's limitations, the pipe will burst. no matter how well made. here's the red cross's instructions on how to prevent and deal with frozen pipes.
PLEASE stay safe in this cold. a polar vortex is no joke.
(also: dont go like "welllllll in my day/country, we walked through -273.7C weather in BOARD SHORTS! for TEN MILES! just to get MCDONALDS! yall are soft!" because theres this lovely thing called survivorship bias. you mightve walked 20 miles in 5ft snow and subzero temps to go to school and did just fine, but i can promise that at least a dozen more kids died or got injured along the way, and millions more in dollars were spent on repairs. just because you nearly lost a finger doesn't mean everyone else should. don't be that asshole.)
