A cold front is bringing Arctic-cold temperatures with a 70% chance of snow to the Colorado Springs area this weekend.

KOAA Meteorologist Alan Rose forecasts snow to pick up late Friday night and continue into Saturday, with 2-4 inches possible for Colorado Springs.

“Enjoy the mid-week warmth while you can,” fellow KOAA Meteorologist Casey Dorn said. The area’s mid-week warmth would be replaced by “a strong, bitterly cold, Arctic front,” by Friday night.  He described this weekend’s weather as a “deep freeze with highs in the teens to 20s, and lows below zero.”

KOAA’s meteorologists say the notably cold weather will last through Tuesday.

“The coldest part of the Arctic outbreak to be from Saturday night to Tuesday morning,” Rose said. “On top of the cold, another round of light snow will be possible from Sunday night into Monday.”

Sunday’s low is forecast to reach negative 2 degrees compared to the record low of negative 17 in 1943. Monday’s low is expected to be negative 6 degrees compared to the record low of negative 12 in 1984. Even Tuesday’s forecasted low of negative 11 degrees would not be a record for the city, where the record daily low of negative 20 was set in 1930.

Rose says historically, the Pikes Peak area gets an Arctic outbreak around one to two times a year. Although records are not likely to be broken, it will still get cold enough to put vulnerable populations in jeopardy, he cautioned.

Safety

There will be two dangers to the public with this arctic cold front moving in, according to Dorn. The first is frostbite, which is when ice crystals form within skin and eventually deeper layers of tissue, causing cellular injury and cell death. The other is hypothermia, which is when the core body temperature falls below 95 degrees due to heat loss to the environment. 

“As we look at this weekend in the context of safety it comes down to protecting all exposed skin and layering in a way that preserves body heat appropriately,” Dorn said.

By the end of the weekend the overnight lows in Colorado Springs will be capable of producing frostbite on exposed skin within 10-15 minutes, according to Dorn. The greatest risk will be Tuesday morning.

“The morning time on Sunday and Monday will see wind chill values capable of producing frostbite within 30 minutes on exposed skin,” Dorn says. “Therefore, it is essential to layer up, and cover all exposed skin, if outside for more than a minute or two on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings.”

Dorn also suggests keeping pets indoors as much as possible from Saturday through Tuesday because these temperatures will be unsafe for pets as well.

Warming Shelters

Two warming shelters in Colorado Springs open once temperatures drop below 20 degrees — Hope COS and the Springs Rescue Mission, which is also a permanent homeless shelter for single men and women.

Hope COS is preparing to help anyone who’s homeless hunker down indoors instead of in tents or otherwise sleeping outside to prevent frostbite or death. It’s located inside the gym of The Sanctuary Church on Colorado Springs’ westside at 1930 W Colorado Ave. It will be open for six nights – from 5 p.m. Friday through Wednesday night until 8 a.m. Thursday. The capacity is 120 people per night.

Springs Rescue Mission, 5 W. Las Vegas St., is open 24/7 and provides emergency overnight sheltering every night and serves three hot meals daily. Guests cannot bring drugs or weapons on site. The mission has had its numbers rise steadily in the past week, with 420 to 450 sleeping at the campus, said President and CEO Travis Williams. He expects to see 475 people or more during the upcoming severe cold snap.

Alzheimer’s Disease in the cold

Extreme cold winter weather is something to keep in mind for the safety of everyone. But of the 91,000 Coloradans living with Alzheimer’s disease, it can be even more crucial.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, winter months and decreased sunlight can cause increased confusion or disorientation in dark or shadowy environments. People with these conditions are also prone to wandering, which is extremely dangerous in colder conditions. Caregivers are encouraged to monitor those suffering from dementia closely for agitation or restlessness as day transitions into night.

“People living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia can be vulnerable during winter weather because their judgment may be impaired and they may be unable to communicate discomfort,” said Jim Hammelev, executive director for the Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado.

If someone with Alzheimer’s insists on going outside, caregivers are encouraged to help them dress warmly for winter weather conditions by wearing dry, loose-fitting layers and covering exposed skin. Also, when walking, assume all surfaces are slick and assist the person by taking smaller steps and slowing down.

“It’s really important to take extra precautions with these individuals when there is severe winter weather, snow or ice, particularly if they are at risk for wandering,” Hammelev said.