Wisconsin Colder Than Antarctica, State Of Emergency Declared

WISCONSIN -- Arctic has sent a wave of bone-chilling cold into Wisconsin Tuesday morning - and by Wednesday, even colder temperatures threaten to shatter the state's record low temps.

Wednesday morning is forecast to be our biggest chill. Morning lows will be from -20 to -30 degrees with afternoon highs from -10 to -17 degrees. The record low temperature in Milwaukee is -24 and was set 1951. According to historical data from the National Weather Service, the record minimum wind chill at Milwaukee is -56 was set on Jan. 10, 1982.

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State of Emergency Declared

This week, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a State of Emergency in Wisconsin for Jan. 27 through Feb. 1. In the emergency declaration, Evers cited extreme temperatures and dangerous travel conditions.

The State of Emergency gives state officials the option to deploy the Wisconsin National Guard to assist local authorities with emergency response and recovery needs throughout the state via the Wisconsin Emergency Management division.

According to the State Department of Human Service, some Wisconsin Income Maintenance Call Centers and agencies may be closed throughout the week, impacting the flow of information about BadgerCare Plus, FoodShare, Medicaid, and Wisconsin Shares benefits.

As a result, people will not be able to call in to those counties to ask questions about benefits, applications, or do on-demand FoodShare interviews. However, some counties may still have other services available, like lobby services.

Despite call centers and counties being closed, Wisconsinites can still use ACCESS to apply for benefits, report changes or view any letters, and the MyACCESS mobile app to check and manage their ongoing benefits, state officials said Tuesday.

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Colder Than Arctic Circle, Siberia:

On Wednesday, Barrow, Alaska, which is north of the Arctic Circle will see a high of -7 degrees on Wednesday.

According to the National Weather Service, even the summit of Mount Everest will be warmer than Milwaukee on Wednesday, as summit temperatures will be about 30 degrees.

Timing:

Temperatures will drop into the negative single digits and may fail to rise above zero until Friday morning.

These brutally cold conditions bring the risk of frostbite and hypothermia for those with exposed skin or inadequate shelter. This is a life threatening situation. Below are the expected temperatures and wind chills for each day through Friday.

NWS Forecast:

Today
A 20 percent chance of snow after 4 p.m. Patchy blowing snow after noon. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 4. Wind chill values between -15 and -25. Breezy, with a west wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.

Tonight
A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 11 p.m. Patchy blowing snow after 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around -19. Wind chill values between -35 and -45. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.

Wednesday
Patchy blowing snow before 3 p.m. Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near -11. Wind chill values between -35 and -45. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around -20. Wind chill values between -35 and -40. West wind 10 to 15 mph.

The record low temperature for Wednesday at Madison is -37* set in 1951.

What To Do In Cold Weather:

• Limit your time outside. If you need to go outside, wear layers of warm clothing. Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
• Signs of frostbite include: loss of feeling and color around the face, fingers and toes, numbness, white or grayish-yellow skin, firm or waxy skin.
• Signs of hypothermia include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech or drowsiness.
• Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Only use generators and grills outdoors and away from windows. Never heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven.
• Reduce the risk of a heart attack. Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow.
• Check on neighbors. Older adults and young children are more at risk in extreme cold.
• Pets are also at risk for cold weather injuries and should be kept indoors.
• If travel is necessary, keep a full tank of gas and an emergency preparedness kit in your vehicle. Put warm clothing, such as gloves, blankets and hats, and a cell phone charger in your kit.

To prevent frozen pipes:

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold-water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a costlier repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

To thaw frozen pipes:

• If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.

Photos Courtesy Scott Anderson, Patch Staff