Travel NC

Dangerous Cold Temperatures and Wind Chill Advisory for North Carolina

North Carolina is experiencing a dangerous cold temperatures from a cold air mass coming down from Canada. This cold air mass is causing below normal frigid single digit temperatures over night and temperatures in the teens and twenties during the day for North Carolina. This cold arctic air mass from the north is expected to last until Friday Feb. 20, 2015. Here is the severe weather alert warning from the  U.S. National Weather Service.

…WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EST FRIDAY…

* LOCATIONS…ALL OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA

* HAZARD TYPES…DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES.

* TIMING…WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES BETWEEN -5 DEGREES AND 5
DEGREES THIS MORNING WILL RISE TO BETWEEN 0 AND 10 DEGREES THIS
AFTERNOON…THEN FALL AS LOW AS -5 TO -15 DEGREES TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS…ENHANCED POTENTIAL FOR LIFE THREATENING HYPOTHERMIA
AND FROSTBITE

* WINDS…NORTHWEST AT 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

* WIND CHILL READINGS…0 TO -15 DEGREES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN COLD TEMPERATURES AND STRONG
WINDS RESULT IN WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES AT OR BELOW 0 DEGREES.
WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF THIS MAGNITUDE CAN QUICKLY LEAD TO FROSTBITE
AND LIFE THREATENING HYPOTHERMIA. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS…
WEAR MULTIPLE LAYERS OF WARM CLOTHING WITH A WIND AND WATER PROOF
OUTER LAYER IN ADDITION TO A HAT AND GLOVES. COVER ALL EXPOSED
SKIN.

FROSTBITE IS THE FREEZING OF BODY TISSUE SUCH AS SKIN AND MUSCLE…
TYPICALLY ON THE HANDS…FEET…EARS…NOSE AND CHEEK…PARTS OF
THE BODY WHICH ARE FURTHEST FROM THE HEART. FROSTBITE CAN OCCUR ON
EXPOSED SKIN IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE A LOSS OF
FEELING AND WHITE OR PALE APPEARANCE IN FINGERS…TOES…EAR TIPS
AND NOSE.

HYPOTHERMIA OCCURS WHEN THE BODY LOSES HEAT FASTER THAN IT CAN BE
PRODUCED…TYPICALLY DEFINED BY A CORE BODY TEMPERATURE BELOW 95
DEGREES. VICTIMS OF HYPOTHERMIA ARE MOST OFTEN ELDERLY PEOPLE
WITH INADEQUATE FOOD…CLOTHING OR HEATING…BABIES SLEEPING IN
COLD BEDROOMS…AND PEOPLE WHO REMAIN OUTDOORS FOR LONG PERIODS OF
TIME…SUCH AS HIKERS…HUNTERS…AND THE HOMELESS. WARNING SIGNS
OF HYPOTHERMIA INCLUDE SHIVERING…EXHAUSTION…CONFUSION…MEMORY
LOSS…SLURRED SPEECH…AND DROWSINESS. SEVERE HYPOTHERMIA CAN BE
FATAL.

 Helpful things to do during extreme cold:

Wear layers of clothing to stay warm. Layers help trap the body heat.
Run water at a slow trickle to help prevent water pipes from freezing.
Bring pets indoors if possible. If not make sure they have shelter to keep them warm. Make sure their water is not frozen several times a day.
Check on neighbors to see if they are safe and warm.
If traveling by car take extra supplies like blankets, hat, scarf, gloves, snacks and water.
Keep cell phones charged.

Spring will be here in 29 Days!

Winter Storm Octavia and North Carolina

North Carolina needs to get ready for Winter Storm Octavia forecast for Feb. 17, 2015. It looks like this will be nothing but trouble for most of North Carolina. It may start as snow but it is forecast to change over to sleet and freezing rain as the storm makes its way north. Snow is us you need usually a good thing but the significant sleet and freezing rain that will probably occur with Winter Storm Octavia will cause major problems to our state.

Be prepared for power outages and poor road conditions across the state. High winds have already caused problems at the coast. Now the rest of the state will more than likely experience any number of conditions. The mountains may get several inches of snow, the piedmont may get snow, then sleet then freezing rain. The area of I-95 and east may get some snow but then a thick coating of sleet and ice.

This storm has all the makings for a huge headache for North Carolina. Be prepared, watch the TV for news and changing weather conditions. I know we are good for heading to the grocery store to empty out the bread, milk and egg shelves, but this time it is looking like a legitimate reason to buy those groceries so we can stay home a few days and avoid those treacherous roads, not to mention those fools that always hit the roads and drive like idiots putting the rest of us in harm’s way.