Dangerous Cold About To Slam DC Area

Get ready to bundle up in D.C. and Northern Virginia, as a ferocious wind chill on the tail end of the "bomb cyclone" is about to hammer the region Thursday evening and into the weekend.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory for our area in effect from 10 p.m. Thursday evening until noon on Friday.

"A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will combine to create low wind chills," the advisory states. "Frost bite and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and gloves."

The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang predicts that the wind chill will dip to -9 degrees in D.C. Friday morning at 7 a.m. Their forecast also predicts -8 degrees in Centreville, -6 degrees in Dale City, and -12 degrees in Leesburg.

And the cold won't let up even after the wind chill advisory ends. Highs will be between 15 and 20 degrees on Friday and Saturday, with wind chills taking them into the single digits.

Winds in the wake of the bomb cyclone are what is drawing this incredibly cold air into our area.

Don't ignore these temperatures: they actually are quite dangerous. The wind chills are so low that it could cause frostbite in just 30 minutes to exposed skin, NWS says.

If you are going to be outdoors for more than just a few minutes, you need to cover yourself from head to toe in multiple layers, and that includes hats, scarves, thick socks, gloves, and a face warmer. Also, don't leave the pets outside.

SEE ALSO: How To Keep Pipes From Freezing As NoVa Temps Plunge

Health care workers offer these cold weather tips:

• Stay dry, because moisture can damage the insulating effectiveness of clothing;
• Pay extra attention to your daily needs: get enough sleep, eat high energy foods, drink warm beverages to help your body stay warm, and avoid alcoholic beverages;
• Recognize the symptoms of hypothermia: stiff muscles, shivering, puffy or swollen face, cold skin, slow breathing and mental confusion.
• If you go out into the cold, limit the time you stay outside. Break longer tasks into shorter ones, with indoor rest periods in between. Do not let children play outside for long periods of time.
• Check on those who are the most vulnerable, including children, the elderly and/or chronically ill. For babies, follow the ABCDs of infant safe sleep.
• Provide appropriate shelter for domestic animals.

Other Tips for Keeping Safe in Cold Weather:

• Keep space heaters and candles away from flammable materials, such as curtains, furniture and loose clothing.
• Check your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors and make sure they are working.
• Do not use prohibited heat or power sources, such as stoves or generators. They may cause fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Do not leave your car running in a closed space such as a garage.

Meanwhile, the bomb cyclone continues to wreak havoc along the Eastern Seaboard. The effects were relatively mild in the D.C. area, dropping about an inch of snow, but areas just 80 miles to the southeast received nearly half a foot of snow. Residents on Long Island and in the Boston area are reporting blizzard conditions of three inches of snow per hour.

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