Wind chills of minus 20 expected Wednesday in northeast Kansas

Northeast Kansas is in for a cold couple of days.

The National Weather Service in Topeka predicts a wind chill of 15 to 20 degrees below zero by Wednesday morning and continuing until late in the day on Wednesday. Wind chills of minus 15 to 20 are expected again on Thursday morning.

A wind chill advisory will be in effect from 5 a.m. to noon Wednesday.

“Arctic high pressure” will move into the area Tuesday night, bringing a bitter combination of single-digit temperatures and northerly winds of 15 to 20 mph.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department urges residents to take steps to avoid hypothermia and frostbite in the bitter cold.

Five tips from the health department and Kim Ens, registered nurse and director of Clinic Services:

  • Dress properly: Wear wind-resistant outerwear and insulating inner layers, stay dry (that includes sweat) and don’t ignore your body’s shivering.
  • Understand wind chill: High winds will quickly suck heat away from your body, which is even more dangerous if the temperatures are also cold.
  • Avoid hypothermia: A person won’t be able to think or move as well with an abnormally low body temperature, so watch out for confusion, drowsiness or slurred speech. Seek medical attention if a person’s temperature falls under 95 degrees. If it’s not immediately available, get the person inside, warm the center of the body and use warm beverages to increase body temperature.
  • Avoid frostbite: Exposed areas of the body can go numb before they’re permanently damaged by the cold, so dress properly. It’s important to go inside and warm up at the first signs of skin redness and pain. If frostbite sets in, treat immediately with warm water or body heat.
  • Check on others: Winter weather is especially dangerous for the young and old, who can’t regulate and maintain body temperatures as well as healthy adults.

And don’t forget your pets during cold weather. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals offers this advice:

  • Keep adult dogs on leashes, and clean their legs and stomach to prevent ingestion of salt, antifreeze and other chemicals.
  • Like people, younger and older dogs are at higher risk in the cold.
  • Keep cats inside, and watch out for strays that may crawl under car hoods.