Will County EMA Advises Residents of Upcoming Cold Snap

The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is cautioning residents about an upcoming stretch of cold weather over the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting a three-day stretch of extremely cold weather from Sunday, Jan. 19 through Tuesday, Jan. 21. During this time, low temperatures are expected to drop to at least –8 degrees in some parts of Will County. Gusty winds will bring wind chills down even further, with some gusts of up to 25 mph expected.

“Taking precautions early is always the best option,” said Will County EMA Director Allison Anderson. “With gusty winds and a cold front, it’s very important to cover exposed skin to help prevent frostbite, especially if you need to be outside for a prolonged period of time.”

The NWS offers tips for preparing for cold weather on their website: https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-before

• Check the Forecast at weather.gov or your favorite weather app, station, etc.: Make checking the forecast part of your regular routine so you’ll know when to expect cold weather.
• Adjust Your Schedule: If possible, avoid being outside during the coldest part of the day, typically in the early morning.
• Protect Your Pets, Livestock, and other Property: If you have pets or farm animals, make sure they are not overly exposed to extreme cold and have plenty of food and water that has not frozen. Take precautions to ensure your water pipes do not freeze. Know the temperature thresholds of your plants and crops.
• Fill up the tank: Make sure your car or vehicle has at least a half a tank of gas during extreme cold so that you can stay warm if you become stranded.
• Dress for the outdoors even if you don’t think you’ll be outside for long.
• Update Your Car Emergency Kit.

Warming centers are available throughout the county. For a list of available warming centers, visit: https://www.willcountyema.org/warmingcooling.