Cold Temperatures Here and Getting Colder with Dangerous Windchills Coming

With temperatures Tuesday not expected to break 20 degrees and dangerous winds coming in Wednesday night and Thursday morning, local officials are reminding residents to stay safe and check on your elderly neighbor.

Local police are asking residents to check in on their elderly neighbors and those who may be in need of services during such a dangerous cold stretch.

The National Weather Service said wind chills Wednesday and Thursday could drop to as low as 15 to 25 below zero in Massachusetts. The arctic blast hitting the area this week will rival last year’s “polar vortex,” forecasters predicted earlier in the week.

Wednesday night and Thursday morning will be the coldest this coming week, but you’ll need to bundle up all week.

Here’s a reminder of cold weather tips from the NWS Chelmsford Patch shared with you earlier in the week:

1. Minimize outdoor activities, especially for the elderly and very young.

2. Dress in several layers of loose-fitting clothing rather than a single layer of heavy clothing.

3. Wear a hat, mittens and waterproof boots. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.

4. When using heating sources such as fireplaces, wood stoves and space heaters, be sure to ventilate them correctly.

5. Test smoke alarms and keep carbon monoxide detectors handy.

6. Bring pets out of the cold. Don’t assume they can handle the cold. If you are not warm, they are not either.