OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — It's back to school post winter break and despite the lack of snow we got across the Omaha metro, the cold weather is here to stay. Families prepare to send their kids back to school.
- At Heartland of America Park, the Hartwig family shares how they stay safe in the extreme cold.
- KMTV's meteorologist Joseph Meyer shares Monday mornings weather forecast and tips for kids walking to the bus stop or to school.
- "For us, we want our kids to be outside as much as possible, so we just got to dress them up for it. How many pairs of socks do you have on, Vera? Like 3. Yeah, so we wanted to be outside and be active and enjoy nature regardless of what the weather is, so you got to dress for it to stay safe."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It’s back to school post winter break for many of our neighbors and despite the lack of snow we got across the Omaha metro, the cold weather is here to stay. At Heartland of America Park, we’re talking to families preparing to send their kids back to school.
With the last few hours of winter break the Hartwig’s are enjoying some family time on the ice rink.
“Well, we were all gung-ho for sledding today, but we didn't get the snow, so we, we're all bundled. This is the most bundled up we get. We got hats, scarves,” said Joe Hartwig.
“Hats, some earmuffs, scarves, jackets,” said Vera Hartwig.
“And what else? Hot hands, hot hands, hot hands!” said the group.
Dressed for the weather on the rink today so the kids are prepared if they're outside this week.
We talked with our meteorologist Joseph Meyer about what parents can expect weather-wise Monday morning when the kids go back to school.
"We'll have temperatures in those low single digits out there, probably between around 5 degrees, give or take, but it's going to be the wind out there. It's not going to be a strong wind, but any slight breeze is going to send those wind chill values to around 10 below zero,” said Meyer.
Meyer says any wind chill of around -10 below can cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes if you're outdoors.
"For those who are maybe out in the bus stop, keep an eye on your kids if you can. If you can, maybe their bus stops going to be a little farther away, maybe drive your car there, kind of wait for them at the bus stop here. If that's not possible, maybe make sure somebody else is watching them."
The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends anyone playing outside should take regular breaks to warm up especially kids who lose heat more quickly than adults.
“For us, we want our kids to be outside as much as possible, so we just got to dress them up for it. How many pairs of socks do you have on, Vera? Like 3. Yeah, so we wanted to be outside and be active and enjoy nature regardless of what the weather is, so you got to dress for it to stay safe,” said Becca Mcquillen.
