Thousands at risk of frostbite and hypothermia

Thousands of people in Alaska are facing the threat of frostbite and hypothermia due to extremely cold weather, prompting the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue an extreme cold watch and cold weather advisory for the Klondike Highway region.

Forecasters say the surge of dangerously cold weather could bring temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit between Sunday and Monday.

What To Know

The NWS office in Juneau, Alaska, issued the extreme cold watch on Sunday, warning of wind chills that could plunge as low as minus 40 degrees in the region surrounding the Klondike Highway.

The cold advisory was set to begin Sunday at 3 p.m. local time and conclude on Monday at 3 p.m. local time, with peak dangers Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon.

The forecast alerted that wind gusts could reach up to 50–60 miles per hour, heightening the risk for frostbite and hypothermia. According to the Mayo Clinic, frostbite is an injury caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues and causes a cold feeling followed by numbness. As frostbite worsens, the affected skin may change color and become hard or waxy-looking. Hypothermia, meanwhile, occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing dangerously low body temperature.

The NWS has also highlighted additional weather alerts, including blizzard warnings and high wind advisories, as the cold front trailed across the country.

According to a study published in 2024 in the JAMA Network, the U.S. has seen cold-related mortality rates more than double between 1999 and 2022.

“The recent and rapid increase in cold-related deaths warrants public health interventions to improve access to warming centers and indoor heating for vulnerable populations,” the researchers wrote in their study.

A report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in February shows that over 1,000 Americans died in 2023 due to cold weather, with nearly 20 percent of them dying in January. Individuals most at risk during these events include the homeless, elderly, and those with inadequate heating.

The CDC and NWS continue to stress the importance of taking shelter, dressing in warm layers, and checking on neighbors during cold snaps.

What Happens Next?

The NWS advised residents in affected regions to monitor local forecasts and prepare for hazardous conditions by limiting outdoor exposure, securing property, and ensuring access to reliable heating.

Emergency management agencies may issue further advisories as the cold front advances.