Cold Outside this Weekend; How to Dress to Stay Warm

Temperatures are forecast to be slightly below normal for the rest of this weekend, and then to return to normal seasonal levels by early next week, according to the National Weather Service. At this point, no significant precipitation is forecast for the next few days.

That means it should be sunny weather for an invasive plant clean-up scheduled at Hammonasset Beach State Park Sunday, Jan. 6. For more information, read our story about events at Hammonasset.

Want to get outside when it's cold, but not sure how to dress?

Here are some "how to dress for winter excercise" tips from about.com. The article discusses the importance of a base layer, a mid layer, and an outer layer, along with protecting head, hands, and feet appropriately.

Here is an article on How To Dress For Winter Outdoor Recreation from the National Ski Patrol. In addition to layering, this article talks about the importance of selecting the right kind of fabric. Cotton? Bad. Gore-tex? Good.

And here are some tips from the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection:

• Mittens provide more warmth to your hands than gloves.
• Most of your body heat is lost through your head so wear a hat, preferably one that covers your ears.
• Dress in warm layers so you can remove items if you get too warm.
• Recognize the symptoms of hypothermia that can be a serious medical condition: confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering. Seek medical attention immediately if you have these symptoms.
• Recognize frostbite warning signs: gray, white or yellow skin discoloration, numbness, waxy feeling skin. Seek medical attention immediately if you have these symptoms.
• Wear waterproof, insulated boots to help avoid hypothermia or frostbite by keeping your feet warm and dry and to maintain your footing in ice and snow.
• Get out of wet clothes immediately and warm the core body temperature with a blanket or warm fluids like hot cider or soup. Avoid drinking caffeine or alcohol if you expect you or someone you are trying to help has hypothermia or frostbite.

For Guilford, the forecast for this weekend, and early next week, as of Friday morning, is as follows, according to the National Weather Service:

• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 38.
• Saturday Night: Chance of light snow, low near 24.
• Sunday: Slight Chance of Light Snow, with a high near 40.
• Sunday Night: Slight Chance of Light Snow, with a low around 29.
• Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 37.
• Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.