Winter weather warnings: Cold stress and how to combat it

As temperatures drop, individuals face risks of cold stress due to prolonged exposure to cold environments when working outside. Staying hydrated, wearing proper clothing and keeping homes properly insulated can help lessen these risks during the winter. 

“It’s el tiempo difficile,” meaning it’s a hard time, said Mary Jo Ybarra-Vega in Spanish. She is the outreach behavioral health coordinator at Quincy Community Health Center. “This is the time of year where this little to no work at all. For the people who are at work, we need to watch out for cold stress. We see a lot of people with frostbite.” 

The Central Basin receives an average of 10 to 35 inches of snow, according to the Western Regional Climate Center.

Cold stress occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, which can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot and dehydration. Symptoms of cold stress include shivering, confusion, numbness and severe fatigue. 

Ybarra-Vega said it is important to layer clothing when working outside. Using an insulating layer like fleece or wool will help keep your body warm and a waterproof layer will keep you dry. Both of those significantly reduce the risk of cold stress.

“You need to prepare for this kind of weather,” said Ybarra-Vega.

In Washington, state regulations mandate that employers must provide access to warming areas and personal protective equipment during prolonged low temperatures. Employers also must monitor weather conditions and adapt work schedules to reduce risks. 

In cold weather it is also common to feel less thirsty, which can lead to cold-weather dehydration, according to Massachusetts General Hospital. Your body loses moisture in cold weather and people tend to sweat less.

“It is important to stay hydrated during the winter time. It is easier to remember in the summer because it is so hot but in the winter people forget. We see a lot of problems with hydration in Quincy,” said Ybarra-Vega.