Newark, NJ – New Jersey may face a burst of winter cold heading into Thanksgiving week, raising concerns about frostbite and hypothermia, according to updated projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The agency’s Nov. 19 outlook highlights a major pattern shift beginning November 25, with colder-than-normal temperatures likely across the Northeast through early December.
According to NOAA, the developing pattern is influenced by La Niña, the Madden–Julian Oscillation, and what meteorologists say could be a rare late-November sudden stratospheric warming event. These combined factors may steer Arctic air into the North-Central and Eastern U.S., placing New Jersey firmly inside the below-normal temperature zone.
With families traveling for Thanksgiving, attending parades, shopping outdoors, and preparing for holiday gatherings, state health officials warn that frostbite and hypothermia can develop much faster than many realize — especially when wind chills drop.
Key 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 signs of hypothermia:
Shivering, slurred speech, slow or shallow breathing, weak pulse, confusion, memory loss, severe fatigue, drowsiness, stumbling movements, and — in severe cases — loss of consciousness. Infants may show bright red, cold skin and unusually low energy.
NOAA urges residents to dress in layers, cover exposed skin, and limit outdoor exposure during the coldest parts of the holiday week. Anyone showing frostbite or hypothermia symptoms should seek immediate medical care and begin warming the affected areas with warm (not hot) water or gentle body heat.
