Frostbite Risk High With 'Bitterly Cold Wind Chills'

Frigid temperatures combined with strong winds with create dangerous wind chill reading on Friday night into Saturday morning, warns the National Weather Service.

At about 4 p.m. on Friday, the weather service issued a wind chill advisory through 9 a.m. on Saturday, saying “dangerously cold wind chills will result in a risk of frostbite on exposed flesh.”

The wind chill advisory covers Hamilton and Wenham plus much of the North Shore and southern New Hampshire because of “bitterly cold wind chills” that could get as low as -22. That will be the result of temperatures in the single digits and a west wind at 10-15 miles per hour with gusts up to 25 mph.

The wind chill advisory was issued because the wind chill index is expected to be between -15 to -24 degrees for at least three hours. Windchills that low mean that frostbite can develop in 30 minutes so anyone outside should dress in layers and wear a hat and gloves.