Big Chill: Frigid temps hitting Abington Friday and Saturday

Temperatures are plummeting in Abington as a massive pool of dangerously cold air pours south.

Residents are being urged to take protective measures over the next 24 hours to prevent frostbite, burst pipes, and other severe damage to self and property.

“Please remember to check in on elderly neighbors, limit time outdoors, and be sure to cover any exposed skin if you must be outdoors,” the town warned in a community-wide alert that was emailed out through Code Red.

Temperatures in town are expected to continue to fall all day Friday and hit -7F early Saturday morning only rising into the mid-teens on Saturday. The wind chill overnight is forecast to hit -28F and not crack zero until mid-afternoon Saturday.

On Sunday temperatuires will rebound up into the mid-40s.

Town Manager Scott Lambiase said the town’s emergency response officials have a plan in place. Luckily, the frigid temps won’t be accompanied by any precipitation.

“This is not a weather event other than a short-term cold snap,” he said, “power outages are not expected or anticipated.”

DPW Superintendent John Stone said the town has enough road salt, but the roads should be dry and bare — just very cold.

“From a DPW standpoint, we are making sure the pump station heaters are up and operational as well as all block heaters,” he said.

The community room in the Abington Police Department will be open to anyone who needs to warm up for a bit.

In addition, the Abington Public Library will be welcoming people in to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the current location. The library recently just finished replacing its roof and should be toasty warm.

Stone offered some tips for Abington residents to help avoid frozen pipes and other home damage:

• Don’t turn your home thermostat down at night. Consider keeping your house warmer than normal, if possible.
• If your house uses a wood stove in addition to central heating, consider shutting off the stove to ensure the thermostat temperature is accurate on the outside walls.
• Don’t isolate rooms by closing doors. Let warm air flow throgh the entire house, especially rooms with pipes in the walls. Also open doors to kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities.
• If you have water pipes prone to freezing, let the hot and cold water drip overnight.
• Keep garage doors closed in case there are pipes in the area.