Outdoor Winter Safety is Tuesday’s Winter Weather Awareness Week Theme

(KNSI) – Winter Weather Awareness Week blows into Tuesday with the theme, ‘Outdoor Winter Safety.’

Meteorologist Eric Ahasic has some easy-to-remember tips when selecting your winter wardrobe. “Staying in the sun, staying out of the wind, staying dry, keeping that skin covered is really your main tips. There for cold weather, safety, at least dressing for it.”

Think in layers if you plan to be outside as the temperature drops this winter. Ahasic says the more you wear, the more you can take off if you heat up during a cross-country skiing run or other activity. He says the goal is to adjust to avoid a lather at all costs.

“Try to stay dry. Once you get wet, it can really get dangerous, especially if the wind’s blowing. So, maybe you’re out skiing or something, you start sweating, your clothes get damp. Maybe a good idea to find a fire and warm up a little bit, because when you have those wet clothes and you’re standing and the wind’s blowing, it can really, really cool your body temperature down.”

Ahasic says layers prevent you from exposing skin by taking off hats, gloves, or scarves. Too much direct contact between the cold air and skin can lead to frostbite.

He jokes that this is probably the theme that every Minnesotan has down pat. It should be noted that the National Weather Service has retired the terms wind chill advisory and wind chill warning. It will issue cold weather advisories when temps drop to 30 below zero and an extreme cold watch or extreme cold warning when the thermometer hits -40 degrees.

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