‘Miserable’ and dangerous. What to know about below-zero wind chill heading for Kentucky.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton urged citizens to take extra precautions this week for an arctic blast that is projected to bring unusual wind-chill readings to the area.

With the wind child projected to fall to minus 15 in Lexington Wednesday, National Weather service meteorologist Evan Webb said “it will be kind of miserable to be outside for any length of time at all.”

The cold front could also produce snow flurries in the area Tuesday night, Webb added.

Meeting with members of several government divisions Tuesday afternoon, Gorton said the biggest concern this week is the cold.

“Over the next few days, we will experience extreme temperatures that can be dangerous to people and animals,” she said. “We want to make sure we are doing all we can to assist. We need citizens to reach out to neighbors and friends.”

The wind chill will start in the single digits Tuesday morning and will fall by nighttime as an arctic cold front pushes its way into Kentucky.

Lexington could have sustained winds of 15 to 20 mph and gusts of 25 to 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures behind the arctic front might stay in the single digits all day Wednesday, WKYT Chief Meteorologist Chris Bailey said. The wind chill will likely stay below zero most of the day Wednesday, according to Webb.

The temperatures could be dangerous for anyone outdoors for more than a few minutes, said Patricia Dugger, director of Lexington emergency management.

“We’re encouraging people to limit outdoor activities during this cold wave and take precautions to make sure pipes don’t freeze,” Dugger said. “People need to limit outdoor activities with pets as well.”

The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday. An advisory is issued when the wind chill falls below zero.

Temperatures will begin falling around 7 p.m. Tuesday in Lexington and wind chills will plunge below zero around 3 a.m. Wednesday, Webb said. It’ll reach minus 10 by 6 a.m. and minus 15 about 9 a.m.

Should the wind chill fall below minus 15, there would be a much higher potential for frostbite.

“Once you get below minus 15, frostbite times are reduced to around half an hour,” Webb said. “Just a half an hour for exposed skin could result in frostbite.”

Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin, according to the Mayo Clinic.

When it begins to warm up by the afternoon, light snow could move into the region Wednesday night, Bailey said.

Some Blue Grass Airport flights to and from Atlanta have already been canceled Tuesday because of the cold weather. Tiffany Hart, the marketing coordinator at Blue Grass Airport, said each airline has its own weather criteria for canceling flights.

The city is working with community partners to relocate homeless people to shelters to provide them access to basic necessities, stated Polly Ruddick, director of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention.

If any residents are worried about someone out in the cold or experiencing homelessness, they are urged to contact the Compassionate Caravan at 859-913-0038.

The city also announced there will be several changes in city garbage pick up this week, including the cancellation of all yard waste collection for the rest of the week. The materials recovery facility, electronic waste facility and landfill operations will be closed Wednesday, the city said. There will also be no special call truck collection Wednesday and no curbside collection services Thursday.

Eastern Kentucky will also see bitterly cold temperatures come its way. The wind chill could be around zero during the day Wednesday and down to minus 15 to 20 below zero at night, according to WYMT.

In Midwestern states, the weather system will produce wind chill readings that are “very dangerous and life-threatening,” according to the National Weather Service. Areas in North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois could see wind chills of minus-50 and minus 60.

In those areas, the wind chill could be the coldest since the mid-1990s, the National Weather Service said.

To go outside, the weather service advises dressing in many layers and leaving little to no exposed skin. It also advises people to keep an eye on their pets and bring them indoors.

This story was originally published January 29, 2019 at 10:09 AM.