The city of Boston issued a cold weather advisory Tuesday afternoon as it prepares for the “dangerously” frigid weather that’s been forecasted for the rest of the week.
Boston is expected to see overnight lows in the single digits through Thursday night and temperatures as low as -1 degrees Friday night, according to the National Weather Service. But the air outside will feel even colder due to the sub-zero wind chills the city is predicted to experience overnight through Friday night.
Wind chills in Boston in the early morning on Wednesday could dip as low as -5 degrees, according to the weather service. Towards the end of the week, an arctic air mass is predicted to reach Massachusetts and drive wind chill values down to around -10 degrees overnight on Thursday and Friday.
“As this stretch of winter weather continues with freezing temperatures and strong wind gusts through the rest of the week, we urge everyone to stay vigilant and take all necessary precautions,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in the advisory.
City officials requested that residents check on older adults, people with disabilities and people experiencing homelessness in their communities during this bout of frigid weather. They ask that anyone who sees someone staying in a car or any shelter other than a home call 911 to ensure they are provided housing.
While the forecast does not reach the threshold for declaring a cold emergency, Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) and all branches of the Boston Public Library will be open to the public as warming spaces during their normal hours, city officials said. A full list of BCYF locations, the library’s branch locations, and hours for all facilities can be found on the city’s website.
City officials also advised residents and property owners to clear snow before it freezes to prevent dangerous conditions for cars and pedestrians. They asked that drivers remove parking space savers by Wednesday evening, as trash collectors will begin picking them up Thursday morning.
“While streets have been cleared, snow plowing and roadway treatment operations are ongoing as residents work to clear snow around their parked vehicles and property,” the advisory reads.
Snow removal operations in Boston are set to begin Tuesday night at 10 p.m. and continue through 5 a.m. Wednesday, according to the advisory.
