Dangerously Cold Temperatures Bring Weekend Chill

A blast of polar air from the Arctic should send temperatures plummeting across Maryland this weekend as a relatively warm winter is slapped with a harsh dose of single-digit lows over Valentine’s Day weekend.

The polar vortex is predicted to shift southward, sending frigid air that has largely been trapped in Canada during the winter plunging into the Mid-Atlantic region for at least a few days, the Weather Channel says.

The bitter cold could burst pipes, kill car batteries and cause power outages. People planning to be outside for extended periods of time, and their pets would be at an increased risk of hypothermia and frostbite.

Anne Arundel County leaders on Wednesday opened warming centers Wednesday evening at senior center, libraries and police stations. They will remain open until Monday morning.

Here’s what to expect, from the National Weather Service:

Friday night: A chance of snow showers, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. South wind 6 to 16 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday: A slight chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 23. Blustery, with a northwest wind 18 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Saturday night: The piercing cold makes its fury felt. Partly cloudy, with a low around 8. Blustery.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 20.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 14.

Monday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

See the hour-by-hour and extended local forecast by clicking the temperature at the top of any page.

The temperatures would be a stark departure from the warm winter so far. But the deep freeze won’t last, with high temperatures back in the mid-40s by Tuesday.

Most of the country has experienced record or near-record highs for much of January, as a powerful El Nino has made its presence known. Even during a January snowstorm that dumped more than two feet of snow on much of Maryland, temperatures largely hovered around the 20s and low 30 and never made for the bone-chilling blizzard conditions of 2015’s storm.

How to prevent frozen pipes

Frozen pipes can ruin a home, causing thousands of dollars in damage and temporarily cutting off water supply.

But you can take some steps to keep the water flowing:

• Allow a slow drip from hot and cold faucets.
• Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to pipes.
• Set your thermostat no lower than 55 degrees.

Keep the car battery alive in the freezing cold

Car batteries lose more than 35 percent of their strength in freezing temperatures, while engines take twice as much power to start up. It’s a recipe for a dead battery, which could leave you stuck in a parking lot or on the side of the highway.

To keep this from happening, plan ahead.

Unplug phones, tablets and other electronics that may be sucking up your car’s battery, even when the car is turned off. Or just replace the battery if it is more than three years old.

Keep your pets safe in the cold

Fido and Fluffy can be especially vulnerable in frigid temperatures, so take these precautions to keep them safe:

• Never leave your pet alone in a car during cold weather either. In the winter, a car holds in the cold like a refrigerator and your pet could freeze to death.
• If pets begin to shiver or their ears, tail, and feet show signs of frostbite such as redness in the early stages and pale, white or patches in more advanced cases of frostbite, bring them inside immediately.
• Keep antifreeze away from cats and dogs, who are attracted to its sweet smell and taste. If you suspect that your pet has come into contact with antifreeze, contact your veterinarian immediately.
• Damp and cold weather can aggravate symptoms associated with arthritis in dogs and cats. If your pet is having trouble getting up or lying down, walking the stairs, or has started to cry when being picked up, a visit to the veterinarian is in order.
• Increase the amount of their food - outdoor dogs need more calories in the winter to produce body heat
• If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on your car hood before starting the engine to give them a chance to escape. Cats like to seek shelter from the cold and can be under the hood of your car.

Image via National Weather Service