Denver, CO – Colorado may see a significant drop in temperatures heading into Thanksgiving week, increasing the risk of frostbite and hypothermia, according to updated projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The agency’s Nov. 19 climate outlook highlights a sharp pattern shift beginning November 25, with below-normal temperatures likely across the Rockies and central U.S. into early December.
According to NOAA, the expected cold surge is being driven by several atmospheric forces, including the ongoing La Niña pattern, the Madden–Julian Oscillation, and the potential for a rare late-November sudden stratospheric warming event. These factors may channel Arctic air across the North-Central and Western U.S., placing Colorado in a colder-than-normal temperature zone.
With mountain travelers preparing for ski season openings, residents attending outdoor events, and holiday travel picking up, state health officials warn that frostbite and hypothermia can develop more quickly than many expect — particularly at higher elevations where wind chill values drop rapidly.
Common frostbite symptoms include:
• Numbness or loss of feeling
• Tingling or prickling sensations
• Cold, hard, waxy-looking skin
• Skin discoloration (red, white, blue, gray, or purple)
• Blisters that may form after rewarming
Ten key signs of hypothermia:
Shivering, slurred speech, shallow breathing, weak pulse, confusion, memory loss, severe fatigue, stumbling, drowsiness, and — in severe cases — loss of consciousness. Infants may show bright red, cold skin and very low energy.
NOAA urges Colorado residents and visitors to bundle in layers, protect exposed skin, and limit time outdoors during the coldest periods of Thanksgiving week. Anyone showing frostbite or hypothermia symptoms should seek immediate medical attention and warm affected areas using warm — not hot — water or gentle body heat.
