WEATHER ALERT: Dangerous 20 Below Wind Chills Pose Threat to Long Island

The snow has just about moved on, but dangerously cold temperatures are poised to freeze Long Island on Wednesday and Thursday.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory–in effect from 7 p.m. Wednesday until 8 a.m. Thursday–for the entire island.

Wind chills may reach 10 to 20 degrees below zero during that period, according to the National Weather Service’s Upton office.

“Prolonged exposure to these temps could cause frostbite and hypothermia,” the weather service said. “If you do venture out, be sure to dress appropriately: dress in layers and cover as much of your body as possible.”

The coldest air mass of season will be joined by wind gusts of up to 40 mph on Wednesday. The high on Wednesday will be in the mid-20s, with the temperature falling to around 6 degrees at night, the NWS says. There is a ”slight chance” of snow showers Wednesday.

Thursday will be sunny and cold with a high near 19. Wind chills on Thursday will be between 5 and 15 degrees below zero.

Things “warm” up on Friday with a high near 34, the NWS says.

Courtesy of the American Red Cross, here are 10 tips to stay safe during the cold weather:

1. Layer up! Wear layers of lightweight clothing to stay warm. Gloves and a hat will help prevent losing your body heat.

2. Don’t forget your furry friends. Bring pets indoors. If they can’t come inside, make sure they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to unfrozen water.

3. Remember the three feet rule. If you are using a space heater, place it on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away – things such as paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs.

4. Requires supervision – Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.

5. Don’t catch fire! If you are using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

6. Protect your pipes. Run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent your pipes from freezing. Open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals out of the reach of children. Keep the garage doors closed if there are water lines in the garage.

7. Better safe than sorry. Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night. Your heating bill may be a little higher, but you could avoid a more costly repair job if your pipes freeze and burst.

8. The kitchen is for cooking. Never use a stove or oven to heat your home.

9. Use generators outside. Never operate a generator inside the home, including in the basement or garage.

10. Knowledge is power. Don’t hook a generator up to the home’s wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator.

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