Parts of Midwest Brace for High Winds, Dangerous Cold

(TNS) – A strong system arriving today brings widespread rain and gusty winds along a cold front that will usher in Arctic air for an extended period of temperatures below freezing with dangerous wind chills Saturday through the middle of next week.

The main affect for today will be strong wind gusts, especially late this afternoon into Saturday. These high winds could snap tree limbs, leading to power outages, and blow around any unsecured objects.

A wind advisory will be in effect from 11 a.m. today to 8 a.m. Saturday , issued by the National Weather Service in Wilmington for south winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph expected.

Today’s high will be near 49 degrees. Up to an inch of rain is expected, with higher amounts near and west of Interstate 75 , the NWS said.

Widespread rain will transition into scattered showers tonight, as temperatures quickly fall below freezing. Overnight lows will be around 25 degrees.

Rain is expected before midnight, with rain and snow between midnight and 1 a.m. followed by a chance of snow. Accumulation of less than an inch is possible.

Strong winds continue Saturday. While gusts of up to 55 mph remain early in morning, the strength will decrease slightly to 40 mph by the evening.

Saturday will start with temperatures in the mid- to low 30s, but daytime highs will be in the 20s.

It will remain gusty well into Saturday night, which will have a low around 12 degrees.

Sunday through Wednesday, high temperatures will be well below freezing, low temperatures will be in the teens to single digits and wind chill values will be below zero. Tuesday and early Wednesday are projected to be the coldest, with double-digit wind chills below zero.

As the temperature falls, pet owners are urged to keep pets indoors as much as possible, and to consider dressing them in a sweater or coat for outdoor activities to help retain their body heat, according to the Humane Society of Greater Dayton .

To prevent pipes from freezing, set the thermostat to no lower than 55 degrees, open cabinet doors to allow heat to reach uninsulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls, and let a trickle of water drip overnight, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall, the American Red Cross recommends.

If the power goes out during extreme weather, report the outage immediately, turn off all appliances — including the furnace, space heaters, water heater and water pump — but leave one light on to know when power is restored, AES Ohio advises.

Also, keep the freezer and refrigerator doors closed. Food can stay frozen for 36 to 48 hours in a full freezer or a half-full freezer can keep food frozen for 24 hours if the door stays closed, the utility said.

Open blinds during the day, but cover windows with blinds or drapes at night. If indoor temperatures drop below 55 degrees, allow faucets to drip so pipes won’t freeze, AES Ohio said.

Sunday will be mostly cloudy with a high near 22 degrees. Sunday night there is a chance of snow. the overnight low will be around 7 degrees.

Martin Luther King Jr . Day will be partly sunny but even colder with a high near 17 degrees. Overnight will have a low around 5 degrees, and there is a chance of snow after 1 a.m.

A chance of snow continues for Tuesday, which will be partly sunny with a high near 16 degrees. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy with an overnight low around 6 degrees.

Wednesday starts a warmup with mostly sunny skies, though it will still be well below freezing with a high near 24 degrees.

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©024 Springfield News-Sun, Ohio Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.