Just because Winter Storm Helena is gone, that doesn’t mean all dangers associated with the storm have disappeared.

With temperatures remaining at single digits at times today and lows in the 20s forecast for Tuesday, threats such as hypothermia and frostbite continue to lurk.

“We are expecting those bitterly cold wind-chill values in the single digits on Monday morning. So, it is important that people that people who are going to be going out to work or school dress appropriately. If you’re going to be outside, like children waiting for school buses, they need to be wearing gloves and hats and such to protect against the cold,” said John Elardo, a meteorologist with the NWS office in Newport.

Elardo said single-digit temperatures in the area should begin disappearing Tuesday, with that warming trend improving through the rest of this week. “It looks like we could be near or in the 60s on Wednesday,” he said.

To help area residents cope with the cold weather, the National Weather Service offers a variety of resources to help people during and after extreme winter weather events. “The arctic air, together with brisk winds, can lead to dangerously cold wind chill values. People exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite in a matter of minutes. Areas most prone to frostbite are uncovered skin and the extremities, such as hands and feet. Hypothermia is another threat during extreme cold. Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce,” according to a NWS website regarding winter weather. That website is www.nws.noaa.gov/om/cold/.

Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin by combined effects of wind and cold, according to several sources, including NWS and the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Safety and Health Administration. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving down the body temperature. Animals are also affected by wind chill.

Another NWS website offers the following advice related to surviving cold weather:

• drive only if it is absolutely necessary. If you must drive: travel in the day; don’t travel alone; keep others informed of your schedule; stay on main roads and avoid back road shortcuts;
• let someone know your destination, your route, and when you expect to arrive. If your car gets stuck along the way, help can be sent along your predetermined route;
• if the pipes in your house freeze, remove any insulation or layers of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags. Completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold (or where the cold was most likely to penetrate);
• maintain ventilation when using kerosene heaters to avoid build-up of toxic fumes. Refuel kerosene heaters outside and keep them at least three feet from flammable objects.