Cold Snap Outside Getting Even Colder Tonight As Code Blue Goes Into Friday
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore City is still under a Code Blue Alert through Friday.
Doctors have cautioned people to avoid the cold if and whenever possible.
"The best thing to do, if you can, is to stay inside. If you have to go outside, wear a lot of warm clothing. Bundle up, and stay warm, and then come back in when you can," they say.
A doctor with LifeBridge Health said the biggest danger is frostbite, and in these temperatures, it only takes about a half hour of exposure for that to happen.
Hypothermia is also something to watch out for, she says to pay attention to your body.
She said if you notice you stopped shivering outside and you aren't thinking as clearly as you did before, that's a sign that hypothermia is impacting your brain and motor functions.
When that happens, you're going to want to get to a hospital as soon as possible.
The State Highway Administration even has a team out on the road, checking broken down and abandoned vehicles to make sure that drivers aren't stranded in the fridged conditions.
Rick Greenwell of the State Highway Administration said that travelers should have an extra blanket and clothes in their cars, just in case you need to stay warm until help arrives.
"The car can stay on the shoulder," he said. "That can be replaced, but the people can't be replaced out here."
For those in need of a warm place inside, Baltimore-area homeless shelters have extended their hours this week.
Baltimore Homeless Shelters Extend Hours During Code Blue
But, that advice is proving difficult, especially when the cold snap outside can cause problems inside.
"You got to be kidding me I was like 'Oh my god,'" said Pat Romeo, a Baltimore homeowner.
Down the stairs in Pat Romeo's house in Dundalk, the basement is soaked in ice water.
"It started shooting everywhere as you can see the frozen lines," Romeo said.
The aftermath of a frozen water main, so, like most of Maryland, she is stuck waiting on a thaw out, that's not yet on the way.
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