On very cold winter days, just knowing the outside temperature in not enough! Wind can make it feel even colder to humans and animals. The affect wind has on your body when your skin is exposed to cold air is known as WIND CHILL. On a windy day, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate. Dangerous frost bite or hypothermia could be the result of prolonged exposure to the wind and the cold.
Frostbite is damage to skin tissue as a result of extreme cold. A windchill of -20 F can cause serious frostbite within 30 minutes. Pain in the affected area is usually the first sign of frostbite. Numbness is usually the second sign.
Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature drops below 95 degrees F. This is a potentially life-threatening situation! uncontrollable shivering, disorientation, memory loss, slurred speech or drowsiness. When hypothermia occurs, seek medical attention immediately!
Injuries related to extreme cold happen to people over 60 years of age 50-percent of the time. More than 75-percent of those injured are males.