Frostbite can occur in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin. Temperatures are expected to fall to single digits in the coming days and residents are reminded to take precautions to protect themselves from the weather. Cover exposed skin when outside.

Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Marissa Reisen encourages people to take breaks when they go outside to clear snow, “One of the things with frostbite is, a lot of the times you don’t notice because it’s just cold, so you’re kind of numb. And you might get to the point where you’re too numb and you’ve got frostbite, and it could progress to hypothermia if you keep staying outside.” The Centers for Disease Control say to get out of the cold at the first signs of redness or pain in any skin area. Signs of frostbite include a white or grayish-yellow skin area, skin that feels unusually waxy or firm, and numbness. Listen to KCII for weather updates.