Staying safe in winter

BOUNDARY COUNTY — Winter weather may be more than what folks hoped for.

According to Weather.com, the forecast for Thursday is sunny with a high of 1 degree Fahrenheit. Friday and Saturday are expected to see more snow as well as temperatures in the double digits.

Throughout the week, weather advisories have been issued for snow accumulations and wind chill warnings for as low as 35 below zero. Dangerously cold temperatures as low as 35 degrees Fahrenheit below zero due to the wind chill are possible until Friday, Dec. 23 at 4 a.m.

Wind chill values may fall to extremely dangerous levels and travel could be very difficult to impossible, officials said. The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes, they added.

Wild chill may fall to extremely dangerous levels. Authorities advise residents to keep pets indoors as much as possible. Make frequent checks on older family, friends and neighbors. Ensure portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills inside.

To sign up for Nixle text alerts from the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office, text “83805” to the phone number 888777.

To keep up on county-wide alerts, check the Boundary County Emergency Information Hotline at 208-696-2626. Updates to any emergencies in the county, including evacuations and when it is safe to return from an evacuation, will be in a recorded message on this hotline.