Expert Warns That Frigid Temps, High Winds Can Bring Frostbite Quickly
By Lynne Adkins
WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS) -- When outdoor temperatures are bitterly cold and the wind is fierce, it's a combination that could easily lead to frostbite.
The high temperature today is expected to reach only about 18 degrees F., and next Tuesday the high temperature is forecast to be 12 degrees. Early-morning lows will be in the single digits.
It doesn't take long to get into trouble in this harsh winter weather, according to Dr. Kate Cronan, an emergency room doctor at the Nemours/ Dupont Hospital for Children, in Wilmington, Del.
"They would be feeling that certain areas of their body might be tingling or starting to feel numb," she tells KYW Newsradio, "but the very first thing they're going to feel is bitterly cold. The areas that are most at risk are the fingers, the toes, the rest of the hands and feet, the face, and the ears."
Once the tingling starts, Dr. Cronan warns, you should get inside, change any wet clothes, and soak the affected parts in warm water for about 20 minutes, until feeling returns.
If the affected area is extremely white with a waxy look, she advises, seek medical attention.