Dangerous wind chills will continue through Wednesday

RICHLAND CENTER, Wis (WRCO / WRCE) – Dangerous wind chills will continue through Wednesday with frostbite possible in as little as 10 minutes.

What’s happening is your skin cells are literally freezing and dying. Signs include pain, numbness, swelling, blisters and skin discoloration. It’s most common on your fingers, toes, nose and ears. Frostbite can lead to permanent, irreversible damage. 

So limit your time outdoors, wear a face mask, scarf, gloves and hat. If you believe that you have frostbite, get inside quickly, warm up slowly.

Never rub the area as that can damage the tissue even further.

The combination of wind and low temperature in winter can be deadly. The wind chill index helps you determine when dangerous conditions develop that could lead to frostbite or hypothermia. It takes into account heat loss from the human body to its surroundings during cold and windy weather. The calculation utilizes wind speed in miles per hour and temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.

Visit the National Weather Service for more wind chill safety information and index chart.