The National Weather Service is warning eastern Pennsylvania residents to prepare for a “major outbreak of Arctic air” this weekend.
In a special weather statement issued Thursday night, the weather service said temperatures Saturday night and early Sunday morning will fall to between 0 and -5 in the Lehigh Valley area, where the low temperature is forecast to be around -2.
“Wind chill values during this time could reach life-threatening levels as cold as 15 to 30 below zero, with the coldest values in the Poconos,” the statement said.
High temperatures Sunday will be only in the teens and single digits in the Poconos.
“Cold spells of this magnitude bring a risk of frostbite and hypothermia for anyone who does not take proper precautions,” the NWS warned.
The following precautions are recommended:
- Make sure your furnace is in good working order, your home has plenty of heating fuel and your car’s gas tank is full.
- Don’t venture outside without wearing gloves, a hat and at least several layers of clothing.
- Check on elderly neighbors to make sure they’re OK.
- Especially if you have exposed pipes or pipes in exterior walls, run water at a trickle from the faucet and keep cabinet doors open to help prevent pipes from freezing.
- Never use an open flame to defrost pipes or an oven/stove to heat your home, as many house fires have resulted from these practices.
- Check the pressure in the tires on your car and your car’s battery. Carry a winter safety kit that includes a blanket, warm clothes and gloves in case your car breaks down and you become stranded. Keep your cell phone charged when you are traveling.
- Bring pets inside and monitor them closely when they are outside.
A winter storm is forecast to impact the Lehigh Valley on Monday and Tuesday, with precipitation starting as snow and then transitioning over to ice and rain.