Officials Preparing For Next Week’s Bone-Chilling Cold
Officials Preparing For Next Week’s Bone-Chilling Cold
Posted
Mark Howe-mhowe@timesuniononline.com
Officials Preparing For Next Week’s Bone-Chilling ColdIt’s going to get way past “chilly” next week.
The culprit is a one-two punch of snow between today and early Tuesday morning, with the chance for snow increasing to 90 percent on Monday. After that, the sky will clear and the readings on thermometers will plunge.
“It looks like the coldest air we’ve seen this winter, and perhaps in the last couple of years, is set to arrive about Tuesday night,” said Kyle Brown, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in North Webster. “Right now we’re looking at a low temperature of about 13 below zero.
“It looks like the high temperature on Wednesday will struggle to even reach zero, and on top of that, Wednesday night is going to be below zero, followed by Thursday’s high in the single digits. So the middle of next week is looking to be dangerously cold, with a prolonged period of wind chills well below zero.”
When it’s that cold, he said, frostbite can happen in minutes. He suggests people who must be outside should dress in layers and limit exposed skin.
Brown said the cold snap could continue into Friday, with temperatures below normal possible into next weekend.
“As one meteorologist in South Bend put it, we can have clouds and slightly warmer temperatures, or clear skies and bone-chilling cold,” he said.
Warming Center
The city of Warsaw is teaming with Fellowship Missions to provide a daytime warming center at the Pete Thorn Center, 800 N. Park Ave., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
In a press release Friday, the city announced Fellowship Missions, 1520 Winona Ave., is also providing cold weather relief during the day and overnight. The daytime warming center is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check-in for new individuals for the overnight warming center is 1 to 4 p.m. each day. Individuals staying overnight may leave after check-in, but must return no later than 8 p.m. to keep their reserved cot.
The city also asks that residents check on friends and the elderly, keep pets inside and only go out if absolutely necessary.
On Friday, Trustee Tyler Huffer announced Plain Township will provide a temporary warming center at the Plain Township building, 34 E. Armstrong Road, Leesburg. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
He said people who need help getting to that location should contact Kosciusko Central Dispatch at 574-267-5667. Local churches and community partnerships will help people get to the warming center, as needed.
“The individual attending the warming center will receive food and a warm place to stay and get out of the cold, and help for a long-term plan, if needed,” he said.
Pet Care
Katey Zemen, executive director of the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County, offered a way to provide shelter for outdoor or feral cats.
“I’ve seen shelters made from Styrofoam coolers,” she said. “You duct tape the lid in place, turn it upside down, cut a hole for an entrance and put some insulating material inside. Be sure to keep the entrance downwind.”
For dogs, shelter doesn’t have to be elaborate to be effective.
“What it comes down to is a dog living outside must have access to a shelter that is solid and weather resistant,” Zemen said. “It needs to be off the ground, and the roof needs to slope away from the entrance to protect the animal from the cold. It should be big enough for the dog to turn around, and the entrance covered to make it windproof.
“Straw makes a great insulating material because it doesn’t retain moisture, and it’s readily available from most pet-friendly retailers.”
Zemen said many pet owners get ideas for simple, practical shelters from YouTube videos.
“There’s a lot of pet-loving, creative people out there sharing some really great ideas,” she said.
If an animal is seen out in the cold without shelter, Zemen suggested calling authorities. In Warsaw, the number for animal control is 574-372-9515; elsewhere Zemen suggested calling local law enforcement.
“We have no authority to investigate reports of animal abuse,” she said. “We do have a lot of friends in law enforcement, and we need to let them handle it.”
Freezing Pipes
It’s important to keep a trickle of water flowing to prevent pipes from freezing and possible bursting, according to Don Robinson, water foreman for the town of Syracuse. Freezing issues aren’t restricted to the interior of a home or business.
“(We) go around to some of the places that normally have problems freezing, like in their meter pits, and remind them to be sure to run their water, and leave it running,” Robinson said. “Sometimes people forget, especially when there’s a lot going on and it’s about to get really, really cold.
Robinson said if there’s a water main break in the extreme cold, there is no such thing as a temporary fix. It’s the same process in January as it is in July.
“There’s a stainless steel sleeve that bolts on both sides, and we have to put that sleeve on while the water is spraying,” he explained. “We’re going to have to get in there, get it fixed and get out, and the guys doing it are going to get wet. As soon as they’re done, we get them back in the truck and back to the shop. We’re not wasting any time.”
Vehicle Reliability
Consistent maintenance is the key to keeping a vehicle reliable in intensely cold weather, according to Kevin Kersey, service manager with Kerlin Motors in Silver Lake.
“When it gets this cold, I’d make sure your vehicle has the correct grade and weight of oil in it,” Kersey said. “It helps to check the battery to make sure it’s at the proper charge level. Make sure the cooling system is set correctly; it should be good to minus 30 degrees.
“It’s also a good idea to make sure your wiper blades are in good shape and the wiper fluid is full and not diluted.”
Opinions vary on whether a car or truck should warm up in extreme cold. Kersey said “about five minutes” is enough.
“If you have a longer commute, the car will run long enough, but if you’re making a series of shorter runs, you might want to go on a longer run to blow out any condensation in the engine,” he said.
