Weather Alert Day: Dangerous cold expected on Thursday morning

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team has issued a Weather Alert Day for the possibility of sub-zero wind chills early Thursday morning.

Temperatures will drop to the lower teens or single digits on Wednesday night, and the wind chill could fall near or below zero for several hours.

SETUP

A cold front connected to a faraway low pressure system over the Great Lakes will move through Mid-Missouri late on Wednesday, possibly producing light flurries or drizzle in the afternoon and early overnight.

Snow accumulation will be very light, and no traffic impacts are expected on Wednesday. This Weather Alert Day will be for the brutal cold following those flurries.

Arctic air will flow into the region once the front clears, bringing the coldest air of the season so far to the Midwest early Thursday.

FUTURETRACK

Temperatures will be a few degrees above freezing on Wednesday afternoon in the upper 30s as the cold front moves overhead. Flurries and light drizzle will be possible in the late afternoon through sunset, and snow will end before midnight.

Frigid temperatures and gusty winds arrive quickly behind the front, with the wind chill already approaching zero degrees by midnight Wednesday night. By sunrise on Thursday, the wind chill could be several degrees below zero.

Highs remain below freezing on Thursday, but lows climb back to the upper teens by Thursday night. The rest of the week will be cold and below-average with daily highs in the upper 30s.

IMPACTS

Cold will be dangerous early Thursday, and could contribute to hypothermia or frostbite if you stay outside too long. Hypothermia occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it, and body temperature drops to hazardous levels. Possible signs for hypothermia include shivering, fumbling hands, slurred speech, confusion, or unconsciousness. Seek help or move someone to a warmer place if you are struggling to stay warm.

Frostbite can occur when your skin freezes from exposure, leading to blisters and damaged tissue. It typically takes an hour or more for frostbite to occur in single-digit wind chills, but once wind chills reach double digits below zero, frostbite is possible in close to 30 minutes.

Make sure you have the ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather App for the latest forecast updates and alerts for severe or inclement weather in your area. You can allow location access for personalized alerts, no matter where you go.