Kansas City, MO – Missouri may face a burst of winter-like cold heading into Thanksgiving week, increasing the risk of frostbite and hypothermia, according to updated projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Nov. 19 climate outlook shows a major pattern shift beginning November 25, with colder-than-normal temperatures likely across the central U.S. through early December.
According to NOAA, the incoming cold pattern is influenced by ongoing La Niña conditions, the Madden–Julian Oscillation, and the potential for a rare late-November sudden stratospheric warming event. These combined drivers may steer Arctic air deep into the North-Central and Eastern U.S., placing Missouri in a zone of heightened frostbite risk ahead of the holiday.
As residents prepare for Thanksgiving travel, hunting trips, outdoor events, and early holiday shopping, state health officials warn that frostbite and hypothermia can set in faster than many expect — especially when wind chill values fall deeper than the forecast air temperatures.
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 appear after rewarming
Ten key signs of hypothermia:
Shivering, slurred speech, shallow breathing, weak pulse, confusion, memory loss, severe fatigue, stumbling or clumsiness, drowsiness, and — in severe cases — loss of consciousness. Infants may show bright red, cold skin and unusually low energy.
NOAA urges Missourians to dress in warm layers, protect exposed skin, and limit outdoor exposure during the coldest portions of the holiday week. Anyone showing frostbite or hypothermia symptoms should seek immediate medical care and warm affected areas using warm — not hot — water or gentle body heat.
