Current:Home > StocksNFL fans are facing freezing temperatures this weekend. Here are some cold-weather tips tested at the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro -Mastery Money Tools
NFL fans are facing freezing temperatures this weekend. Here are some cold-weather tips tested at the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro
Chainkeen Exchange View
Date:2025-04-07 11:35:38
As a winter storm works its way across the country, thousands of football fans are braving freezing temperatures to watch their favorite teams take the field.
The Miami Dolphins will play the Kansas City Chiefs at home on Saturday night, but it's expected to be -2 degrees Fahrenheit in Kansas City with wind chills making it even colder. When the Green Bay Packers play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, temperatures in Texas are expected to have plummeted to below freezing, with snow, rain and wind making it worse. Meanwhile, the Sunday afternoon game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills has been rescheduled to Monday after the forecast called for freezing temperatures, snow and gusty winds.
As the cold front settles in, experts in emergency medicine with experience in winter weather weighed in on how to prepare for dangerous temperatures, how to stay warm even in frigid weather, and what to know about potential emergency situations.
How can you prepare for winter weather?
One of best ways to stay safe amid freezing temperatures, says Dr. Bradley J. Uren, a professor of emergency medicine with the University of Michigan who grew up in the state's upper peninsula — where freezing temperatures and massive snow are common in the winter — is to be prepared for whatever the weather might throw at you.
That can include making sure you have what you need at home, like extra layers and ways to stay warm in case you lose power. If you have a space heater or other heating source, make sure there's a safe place to plug it in and operate it. It can also help to ensure that you have batteries, candles and other supplies for power outages.
If you do need to go out in a vehicle, Uren recommends having supplies like extra clothes, warm gloves and a snowbrush handy. Make sure your car has more than enough gasoline, and it can't hurt to throw in some extra supplies like hand warmers or a sleeping bag so that you can stay warm if something happens while you're driving. Also, check that the vehicle has windshield wiper fluid and that it is functional in cold weather. Uren said he makes many of these preparations himself.
"Being an (emergency room) doctor, I see what happens when people aren't prepared, so I try to be prepared myself," Uren said. "I've never had to use any of those things, but I feel better knowing that they're there and I can help myself in case of an emergency."
How can you stay safe in freezing temperatures?
Dr. Daniel Bachmann, an emergency medicine expert at Ohio State University who specializes in wilderness medicine and who has summitted Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the top tallest mountains in the world, said that you should limit outdoor time during freezing weather. If you do have to go out, he advised trying to do it at the warmest time of the day.
"We have so much technology to help us with our weather challenges ... so leverage that," Bachmann said. "Leverage the technology, whether it's just using your smartphone to look at forecasts or keeping up on what that forecast is."
Use that forecast to dress appropriately for the weather. Wear layers like down jackets that can help you trap warm air pockets, and add warmer layers like heavy sweaters. Make sure as little skin is exposed as possible to limit the risk of frostbite and other conditions. However, it's important to limit sweating, since the moisture created by your sweat can cool your body.
Another way to stay warm, Bachmann said, is make sure that you've had something to eat and drink.
"Being hydrated and nourished are important because when you have food in your body, then your body is burning that and they're metabolizing that, and that's how heat is generated," Bachmann said. "Having some food, having some nutrition, before you go out is a helpful foundation to keep your body warm."
When getting prepared to go out in frigid weather, Uren said that people should take the full weather forecast into consideration. Air temperature is just one aspect: People should also consider the wind chill and the estimates of how cold the air will feel.
"The temperature to the human is important, and you should limit your time outside," Uren said. "It's a lot of fun to go outside and build a snowman with the kids or go sledding, but bear in mind that those temperatures and that wind chill can put you and everyone else at risk of hypothermia or frostbite."
What to know about hypothermia, frostbite and more
Dangerously cold weather can result in conditions like hypothermia and frostbite.
Frostbite is a cold injury to body tissue. Early signs of the condition include redness, numbness, or pain on areas of the skin, followed by loss of feeling and color to the area. If you start to see these early signs, get inside and warm up immediately. Uren said that in some weather conditions, frostbite could begin on exposed skin in just five minutes.
Hypothermia occurs when core body temperature gets too low as a result of prolonged exposure to the cold. This risk increases when it's extremely cold and windy, Uren said. In an article he wrote in 2022, Bachmann noted that alcohol use can also make someone more susceptible to hypothermia, since
Both conditions can be dangerous, the doctors said, but can be prevented with proper preparation, warm clothing and going inside when necessary.
"It's the same advice that my mom always gave me, that everyone's mom gives them: Cover everything up. Cover the exposed skin, make sure you've got good gloves, good shoes, wear a hat. You can wear a face mask or a scarf, something to cover your face ... You may even want to think about wearing goggles that can keep the snow and ice and wind away from your exposed eyes and that portion of your face that's hard to cover otherwise," Uren said. "If you do those things, you can have a lot of fun in the snow. And if not, you might end up in the emergency department."
- In:
- Weather Forecast
- Winter Storm
- Winter Weather
- Football
- NFL
Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.
TwitterveryGood! (9283)
Related
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- French prosecutor says alleged attacker in school stabbing declared allegiance to Islamic State
- Wisconsin Republicans admit vote to fire elections chief had no legal effect
- Travis Barker's Son Landon Barker Shares His Struggles With Alcohol
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Wisconsin Assembly set to approve $545 million in public dollars for Brewers stadium repairs
- Chris Evans confirms marriage to Alba Baptista, says they've been 'enjoying life' since wedding
- Suzanne Somers' Husband Alan Hamel Details Final Moments Before Her Death
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- Pink Cancels Concerts Due to Family Medical Issues
Ranking
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- NASCAR rescinds Ryan Blaney Las Vegas disqualification; restores playoff driver's result
- The Indicator Quiz: Climate edition
- As Biden heads to Israel and Jordan, aid is held up for a Gaza on the verge of total collapse
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says she will travel to Israel on a ‘solidarity mission’
- Tyga Seeking Legal and Physical Custody of His and Blac Chyna’s Son King
- Lawsuit over death of autistic man in a Pittsburgh jail alleges negligence, systemic discrimination
Recommendation
Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
Californians plead guilty in $600 million nationwide catalytic converter theft scheme
In Brazil’s Amazon, rivers fall to record low levels during drought
Ford and Mercedes-Benz among nearly 250,000 vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here
Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
What to know about Elijah McClain’s death and the cases against police and paramedics
'An entrepreneurial dream': Former 1930s Colorado ski resort lists for $7 million
Celebrate Disney’s 100th Anniversary with These Magical Products Every Disney Fan Will Love