LOCAL

Mid-Hudson: Frigid temps follow snowstorm

Jack Howland Heather Clark
Poughkeepsie Journal

As the mid-Hudson Valley copes with new snow being whipped by high winds today, a deep freeze is expected to hit the region and linger through the weekend. 

East Main Street in the Village of Wappingers Falls on Jan. 4, 2018.

Public schools across the region closed on Thursday and police reported dozens of minor accidents amidst a storm that intensified throughout the day. Preliminary data showed a range of snow totals, from 10.5 inches in Poughquag to 6.5 inches in Hopewell Junction to 5.8 inches in Red Hook to 5 inches in Hyde Park, according to the National Weather Service. However, many of the measurements were not final results from the storm. 

As the region digs out, high winds and subzero wind chills may make for messy roads and danger outdoors.

The Arlington, Wappingers, New Paltz, Rhinebeck, Red Hook, Pawling, Beacon, Dover, Hyde Park, Marlboro, Spackenkill and Webutuck school districts are on two-hour-delays Friday. Millbrook and Pine Plains are on three-hour-delays.

CANCELLATIONS: Local closings and delays 

More than 10 inches fall on Dutchess; strong wind to follow snow

Shoveling can lead to heart attacks: American Heart Association

Extreme cold

This weekend is forecast to be extremely cold, with lows for Friday and Saturday ranging from minus 2 degrees to minus 9 degrees. Friday has a high of 11 degrees and a low of minus two degrees. But with winds expected to be 10-15 mph Friday and 9-11 mph at night, it will feel much colder. On Friday, the wind chill could be minus 10 during the day and minus 16 at night, according to the weather service.

Saturday is expected to be a bit calmer and may have a high of 7 degrees and a low of minus 7 degrees.

From left, Braylon, Darrell, Bryce Ward & Alyssa Keller walk home from daycare along South Avenue/Route 9D in Wappingers Falls on Jan. 4, 2018.

The extreme cold after the snowstorm may pose a danger.   

"Honestly, the cold affects all body systems," said Carly Esteves, lead trauma nurse practitioner at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. "The colder you get, the worse it can get." 

They body's initial response is to self-warm by shivering and increasing the heart rate. The longer someone is exposed to the cold, the body's ability to keep itself warm starts to decline, thereby increasing the risk of cold related injuries/illnesses including frostbite, hypothermia, and cold induced asthma. 

Want to reduce the risk of frostbite, hypothermia, and cold induced asthma? The first step is to dress for the weather. 

"Hats, scarf, mittens, dressing in layers," Esteves said. "Make sure you're wearing proper socks and boots. Plastic (boots) won't be insulated enough." 

Tom Kelly shovels the sidewalk across from Mesier Park in Wappingers Falls on Jan. 4, 2018.

In cases of extreme cold, which is better: mittens or gloves?

According to Esteves, mittens are a better choice than gloves because mittens keep your fingers closer together, trapping and sharing heat on your hand.

When you come in from shoveling and your hands are red, don't worry too much. Just get warm, put on some dry clothes and get cozy under a blanket.

"You can rinse your hands under warm water if you want, it sometimes helps," Esteves said. "Maybe put on some dry gloves and get under some blankets." 

Of course, if a person can, stay indoors and don't go outside unless you have to. 

This secondary road in Hyde Park remained blanketed in snow as of 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

Dutchess County was encouraging municipalities to open warming shelters, Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response Commissioner Dana Smith said. On Friday and Saturday, the City of Beacon will open a warming shelter in conjunction at the Salvation Army on Main Street.

Ulster County will have a warming shelter in Kingston. The Darmstadt shelter on Thomas Street holds up to 80 people and is open 24 hours and seven days a week. The county’s food banks are also open to the needy and underserved.

“We’ve had that (warming shelter) open and we are encouraging those in the community to look out for seniors, the disabled and children, basically being a good neighbor,” said Robert Sudlow the deputy county executive.

Beware of frostbite

Frostbite occurs when tissue in the body freezes. Typically, the areas effected are fingers, toes, noses and ears. 

Symptoms of frostbite, which range in severity, include a numb or "tingly" sensation, change in appearance that looks waxy but firm, swelling, darkening of the area, and blisters.  

"It really doesn't take long (to succumb to frostbite) at low temperatures," Esteves said. "It'll be a couple, maybe several, minutes. If you're wearing the proper items you can obviously stand it much longer." 

A New York City mile marker partially buried in the snow at the corner of East Main Street and South Avenue in Wappingers Falls on Jan. 4, 2018.

Frostbite can be extremely severe and it is advised to seek medical treatment right away. 

"People will notice that they can develop some blistering where instead of being clear blisters, they're filled with blood or bloody fluid," said Dr. Francis Winski, a plastic surgeon who works in Westchester Medical Center's burn ward. "And when you start clearing some of these areas off I find that those tissues are still purplish underneath and those are at risk for amputation."

To treat frostbite you need to start the rewarming process. 

"If you get frostbite, go indoors," Esteves said. "Seek medical attention immediately and remove wet clothing and put on dry clothes." 

Esteves also suggests drinking warm liquids, not hot, as reheating too quickly could make things worse. 

The worst thing a person can do is rub their hands together. 

A Village of Wappingers Falls plow truck clears snow on East Main Street in Wappingers Falls on Jan. 4, 2018.

"If you're outside and you come in and you feel that 'Oh my hands are feeling kind of funny and maybe I have some frostbite,' the one thing you don't want to do is rub (your hands) together," Winski said. "That's going to add another injury or another type of injury to what's already starting to happen."

Winski advised the best way to rewarm specific body parts is to submerge the area in water that is roughly the same temperature as the rest of the body. For example, if the hand is the affected area, put it in a bowl of body temperature water and gently manipulate the water, making sure to touch the sides of the bowl. Also, be sure that the area is completely thawed out.

"Make sure (the area) is warm and stays warm," Winski said. "Dry the skin and assess what the skin looks like. Once you start to see that area is blistering, I think you're better off getting a professional to look at it."  

If a person does go to seek professional help, frostbite may be treated much like a burn. 

"In essence if you think of a burn as being an injury from heat, frostbite is an injury from cold," Winski said. "Due to the nature of the injuries, frostbite is very similar to a burn." 

If the area has too much damage to it, it could mean amputation. 

Accidents and delays

Between 7 a.m. and 5:50 p.m., Dutchess had 41 property damage and eight personal injury auto accidents, Smith said. Both of those numbers are higher than usual, he said. There were also 19 disabled vehicles.

State police Troop K, which covers Dutchess, Putnam, Columbia and Westchester counties, had handled 101 disabled vehicles on the roadways as of 4 p.m., according to spokesman Trooper A.J. Hicks. Troopers also responded to 31 property damage auto accidents and five personal injury auto accidents.

An overturned tractor trailer sits alongside I-84 in East Fishkill on Thursday.

On the eastbound I-84 in East Fishkill, an overturned tractor trailer temporarily blocked the right lane near exit 15, as officials attempted to move the vehicle. Those efforts were suspended by 2 p.m. due to the conditions. Both lanes were reopened, but the vehicle was left on the side of the road.

Most commercial flights were delayed or cancelled at Stewart International Airport. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported all flight activity was temporarily suspended Thursday at JFK and LaGuardia airports, but both airports remained open.

Metro-North Railroad reported some trip cancellations and delays ranging from 30 to 90 minutes. 

Staff writers Amy Wu and Abbott Brant contributed to this report. 

Tips

Dutchess County and Ulster County officials offered the following tips for residents for winter weather:

Check on neighbors especially elderly, disabled and children.

Stay informed through the National Weather Service.

Sign up for NYAlert for text messages on weather updates and road closures.

Local homeowners and business owners should be especially vigilant for frozen pipes, chimneys and heaters. 

Be especially careful when operating motor vehicles and walking on pavements since there is often ice under the snow.

Connect with community organizations, including churches and nonprofit groups, such as in Ulster County Family of Woodstock or the Living Room at the Family Partnership Center.

Residents seeking shelter can contact their local police department or call or text Dutchess HELPLINE 845-485-9700.

Residents running out of heating fuel can call 845-437-0050 to make arrangements through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911 and first responders will be dispatched.

For other key winter safety tips go to Dutchess County website at: www.co.dutchess.ny.us/countygov/departments/EmergencyResponse/12052.htm