'Life-Threatening' Wind Chills Expected for Weekend in Hudson Valley: Weather Service

Extreme cold will be moving into the lower Hudson Valley this weekend.

The National Weather Service issued a Special Weather Statement Thursday that said temperatures Saturday night into early Sunday morning will dip close to zero to minus 5 degrees in Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties.

Putnam, Rockland and the northern part of Westchester are under a Wind Chill Watch from 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 to noon Sunday, Feb. 14.

But no matter where you live in the lower Hudson Valley, it is going to get dangerously cold.

Wind chill values during this time could reach life-threatening levels as cold as 20 below zero to 25 below zero.

The weather service said high temperatures Sunday will only be in the teens.

Related story: Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Idle Your Car on Cold Mornings

Tips for keeping you, your car and house safe via the National Weather Service:

• COLD SPELLS OF THIS MAGNITUDE BRING A RISK OF FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA FOR ANYONE WHO DOES NOT TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS. IN ADDITION...FROZEN PIPES AND OVERWORKED FURNACES COULD LEAVE YOUR HOUSE WITHOUT HEAT OR RUNNING WATER...AND CAR BATTERIES RUN THE RISK OF DYING.
• NEVER VENTURE OUTDOORS WITHOUT WEARING GLOVES...A HAT AND SEVERAL LAYERS OF CLOTHING. WIND CHILL VALUES LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING COULD LEAD TO FROSTBITE IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES IF PROPER PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN.
• RUN WATER AT A TRICKLE AND KEEP CABINET DOORS OPEN TO PREVENT PIPES FROM FREEZING.
• NEVER USE A STOVE OR OVEN TO HEAT YOUR HOME OR USE AN OPEN FLAME TO MELT FROZEN PIPES. MANY HOUSE FIRES RESULT FROM THESE PRACTICES.
• CHECK TIRE PRESSURE AND YOUR CAR BATTERY. BE SURE YOUR CAR HAS A WINTER SAFETY KIT THAT INCLUDES A BLANKET...WARM CLOTHES AND GLOVES IN CASE YOUR CAR BREAKS DOWN OR BECOMES STRANDED.
• TAKE EXTRA STEPS TO KEEP YOUR PETS WARM AND KNOW THEIR LIMITS TO COLD.