With four days of negative degree weather in a row along with a few inches of snow, winter has hit Greeley. Students and residents are finding it challenging to stay warm.
While being stuck in the freezing cold can certainly be annoying, that’s far from the only harm low temperatures can do to the body. Frostbite and hypothermia are both incredibly dangerous conditions that can happen when a person is exposed to cold temperatures, especially for prolonged periods of time.
According to the National Weather Service, it takes about 30 minutes for exposed skin to get frostbite when the temperature is at zero or lower. The time cuts in half when it’s -15 or lower.
The lowest recorded temperature in Greeley this past week was -28 on Jan. 16, meaning those outside with exposed skin could’ve developed frostbite within close to 10 minutes.
While relatively harmless in the beginning stages, frostbite can be extremely dangerous if untreated. Deep frostbite, the last and most severe stage, happens when all layers of exposed skin and the tissues beneath have frozen significantly. Unlike the beginning stages, the damage caused by deep frostbite can be permanent.
Hypothermia is a more life-threatening condition in most cases, as it happens when your body is losing heat faster than it can produce heat. If your body temperature gets too low, critical organs like the heart, nervous system and lungs can cease to function.
If you must brave the cold, the best way to prevent frostbite and hypothermia is by wearing layers.
“This week, I’ve been wearing at least three layers every time I go out, but my hands and feet are still always cold,” Logan Pape, a secondary education student. said on his walk to class.
Getting around town has also proven to be a challenge in the freezing temperatures and snow this week as it’s been too cold for most snow to melt, and portions that have frozen over. On top of the questionable road conditions, this cold of temperatures can also negatively impact vehicles.
The American Automobile Association says a battery can lose up to a third of its power in freezing weather due to the oil thickening. Tires can also lose pressure as the air gets colder, leading to worse traction on icy roads.
“My check engine light and my tire pressure light both came on, so I had to go and put air in my tires,” Max Grauberger, a finance student, said.
The University of Northern Colorado has also been affected by the extremely low temperatures, cancelling all in person classes before 11 a.m. on Jan.16. These cancellations not only affected students, but also professors.
“It made it harder to come in and have my students while also being responsible for my son whose school was canceled for the day,” Philosophy Professor Bailie Peterson said.
Despite temperatures slowly rising as next week approaches, Greeley can still see temperatures as low as 17 going into the weekend
