Today is another cold, and I mean very cold start to the day.  My car's thermometer read 9 degrees INSIDE my garage.

When temperatures are this cold, it is crucial that you cover up exposed skin if you are outside for any amount of time.  Yesterdays freezing temp's had my daughter playing rock-paper-scissors to see who would be bundling up to go to the mailbox. (My daughter lost.)

Web-MD what is frostbite.

You can develop frostbite if the temperature falls below 32 degrees, but it's the wind chill that can really speed things up.  Frostbite can occur in a matter of minutes if the wind chill is dangerously low and bare skin is exposed.

  "Frostbite happens when the body's survival mechanisms kick in during extremely cold weather" , according to the National Weather Service.  "To protect the vital inner organs, the body cuts circulation to your extremities :feet, hands, nose, etc., which eventually freeze".

Temperatures in many parts of the country will be brutal this week, with Artic air coming from what's known as the polar vortex.

Some of the signs of frostbite are a prickly, burning sensation followed by numbness, your skin starts to change color, and you start feeling stiffness in joints or muscles.  If you do experience some of those symptoms try to gradually bring feeling back into the body.  Never stick your hands in hot water, use warm water or a warm washcloth.

Frostbite can be avoided if you are prepared for the weather.  Dress in layers, limit your time outside, and closely monitor your body for signs of frostbite.

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