Protecting Yourself in Cold Temperatures This Winter 

Today’s Groundhog Day, and with Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow this morning, the tradition points to six more weeks of winter. For many places dealing with bitter temperatures, that prediction is a reminder that cold-weather risks are not going anywhere just yet.

Who’s Vulnerable to Cold Weather?

Cold conditions can become dangerous fast, especially for people who lose heat faster or have trouble sensing early symptoms of concern. Older adults, young children, and people with heart or lung disease, diabetes, circulation problems, or who have trouble moving around are more vulnerable. Certain medications that affect alertness or circulation can also make cold exposure even riskier.

These groups don’t necessarily need to stay indoors all winter, but they do need to be more cautious.

How to Prepare

Preparation helps to prevent problems. Checking both temperature and windchill can give a better sense of how fast heat loss can happen. Planning how long you’ll be outside and knowing where you can warm up reduces risk.

If you’re driving, keeping extra layers or blankets in the car is a simple precaution.

Clothing also plays a major role in staying safe.

“Wearing gloves, wearing a hat, wearing enough clothing; multiple layers are better than one thicker layer, and that really helps people stay warmer,” said Dr. Hany Atallah, chief medical officer at Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

Dr. Atallah also points out that shivering is an early warning sign.

“If you’re shivering, you’re probably too cold, and the body shivers to help increase the temperature,” he said. “When you start seeing blue fingers, blue toes, blue lips, that’s a sign the person could be progressing.”

Once outside, the biggest dangers are falls and cold exposure. Ice, especially black ice, which is transparent and hard to see, can cause serious injuries. Frostbite can develop quickly on fingers, toes, ears, and the nose, and numbness often appears before pain.

Hypothermia, which is when the body loses heat faster than it creates it, is even more serious, beginning with shivering and confusion, and worsening if exposure continues.

How to Stay Warm

There are a few simple habits that can help to keep you warmer this winter:

• Limit long stretches outdoors in extreme cold
• Pay attention to numbness, shivering, or mental fog
• Take short, purposeful trips outside rather than staying out for long periods

Children can play outside safely if they’re dressed in warm, waterproof (if it’s snowing or raining) layers and taking regular breaks to warm up. Indoors, warming up should be gradual, remove wet clothing, use dry layers, and avoid direct heat on cold skin.

Staying alert to the weather and to your body’s signals is the best way to make sure you get through the rest of winter safely.