GIMME SHELTER
Bay State braces for 'extreme' cold with -45 wind chills, city closes schools, keeps South Station open
The last time it was this friggin’ cold, Tom Brady only had four Super Bowl rings and Barack Obama was still in the Oval Office.
Bay Staters are bracing for historic dangerous extreme cold that is set to blast the region on Friday and Saturday, as wind chills could plunge to a frigid 45 below zero in some spots of Siberia, I mean Massachusetts.
Boston’s wind chill could plummet to 32 below zero at the worst of the arctic outbreak on Saturday morning. Officials are urging residents to stay inside as much as possible and to bundle all the way up if they have to go out, as frostbite can happen very quickly when it gets this frosty.
“You should limit your time outdoors on Friday and Saturday, and try not to have too much exposed skin when outside,” Kyle Pederson, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boston office, told the Herald on Thursday.
The dangerously cold wind chills around 30 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
In addition to the wicked cold conditions, meteorologists are predicting winds gusts between 35 and 55 mph, with the strongest of those winds tending to be in the higher terrain. Isolated power outages will be possible, especially north of Worcester and in the Berkshires.
Any power outages would be a concern given the dangerous cold.
“The power outage risk is something to keep an eye on,” Pederson said. “If you do end up having a power outage, don’t try to heat your house with your stove and don’t have your car on in a closed garage. Make sure that any carbon monoxide you create is well ventilated outside.”
The dangerously cold airmass that will invade the region will be the coldest temps seen in the region since Feb. 13 and 14, 2016. Back then, Worcester’s actual temp dropped to 16 below zero, and Boston’s fell to 9 below zero, which were the coldest temps at both sites since 1957.
Ahead of the extreme cold, Boston Public Schools announced that schools will be closed on Friday.
“With extreme weather conditions and many of our students commuting to and from school, walking, and waiting for public transportation outdoors, we have made the decision to close for the day,” Superintendent Mary Skipper said. “Due to the low temperatures and strong wind gusts, there is an increased risk of hypothermia and frostbite.”
The state will be keeping open Boston’s South Station for people who are homeless during the city’s cold weather emergency.
“We have been in close contact with local leaders and service providers to make sure people are being taking care of during the extreme weather, including having providers available to offer transportation to shelter for those who want it as well as other resources,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “We encourage anyone who needs a place to stay to accept this offer and spend the night at a safe, warm shelter rather than at the station.”
Flights at Logan Airport have already been impacted this week due to inclement weather across the country, and delays at both Logan and Worcester Regional Airport are possible with the frigid temperature expected this weekend. Massport is urging passengers to check with their airlines on the status of their flight before heading to the airports.