After Unseasonable Warm Spell, Cold Temperatures are Coming - and Settling In
By Julie Perine on December 05, 2017 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
After a series of unseasonably warm days, cold weather is on its way and according to WDTV Chief Meteorologist Ken Meehan, it’s likely here to stay.
“We have a cold front coming in from central northern Canada and it will get cold and stay cold through at least this time next week – probably longer,” he said. “Models going out 10 days still show it cold and models going out even further than that still show cold. So, I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon."
After today – which will bring temperatures in the upper 50s and rain – the mercury will dip significantly.
“Temperatures will drop to probably the low 20s with highs around freezing (32 degrees),” Meehan said.
Although there are no “organized snow showers” indicated on the models, there will be snow at some point, he said.
“They’re hard to pinpoint sometimes, but at some point, we’ll get some,” he said.
The National Fire Protection Association reports that heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths. Half of home heating equipment fires are reported during the months of December, January and February. Simple safety tips can prevent heating-related fires from happening:
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
- Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
- Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
- Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
- Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
- Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
