Old Man Winter ushers in Arctic blast beginning today

COLDWATER (WTVB) – The Winter Wonderland could become your worst winter nightmare if you venture out into it this weekend in the Branch County area and something goes wrong, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Many officials are suggesting you just stay home. That’s not good news for retailers, movie theatres and restaurants. However, they say if you take the right precautions, it’s okay to go outside, as long as you don’t stay outside too long. Temperatures will be so low and winds so high this weekend that exposed skin could become frostbitten in as little as 30 minutes. That’s going to make Valentine’s Day a challenge for anyone hoping for a night on the town.  Around here the low is expected to dip down to 5 to 10 below with wind chill factors making it feel like its 25 to 35 below.