Columbus, OH – Ohio may face a surge of early-winter cold as Thanksgiving week approaches, raising concerns about frostbite and hypothermia, according to updated projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Nov. 19 climate outlook shows a substantial pattern shift beginning November 25, with colder-than-normal temperatures likely across much of the Midwest and Great Lakes region into early December.
According to NOAA, the incoming cold is driven by several atmospheric factors, including the ongoing La Niña pattern, the Madden–Julian Oscillation, and the potential for a rare late-November sudden stratospheric warming event. These combined influences may help direct Arctic air into the North-Central and Eastern U.S., with Ohio positioned squarely in the below-normal temperature zone.
With families preparing for Thanksgiving travel, football games, shopping events, and outdoor gatherings, health officials warn that frostbite and hypothermia can develop faster than many realize — particularly when wind chill lowers the effective temperature.
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 develop after rewarming
Ten important 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 present with bright red, cold skin and unusually low energy.
NOAA urges residents to dress in warm layers, cover exposed skin, and limit time outdoors during the coldest periods of the holiday week. Anyone showing frostbite or hypothermia symptoms should seek immediate medical attention and warm affected areas with warm — not hot — water or gentle body heat.
