Coldest Winter Weather, With Windchills to Zero, Moving In

The coldest air of the winter to date - by far - is moving in to Boston on Wednesday.

Windchills are expected to be close to zero on Wednesday morning and possibly below zero on Thursday morning, which will be the coldest day since last February.

The National Weather Service said that Wednesday morning's low temperature would be about 10 degree and Thursday morning's low temperature will be about 7 degrees with a wind chill of -2 degrees.

The windchill temperature on Wednesday morning will be near 0, according to WHDH Chief Meteorlogist Pete Bouchard in his most recent blog, because of "a steady (not strong) breeze."

"And although Thursday morning is colder, there isn't a lot of wind," he said. "Sun will dominate the short term forecast too and afternoon highs will be manageable: mid and upper 20s."

The cold will not last forever. Forecasts call for the cold weather to end by the weekend and temperatures to be back into the 40s by next week. Bouchard said the "the deep freeze will be short-lived."

“As temperatures drop in Boston, we’re encouraging residents, landlords and property managers to be proactive in servicing their home plumbing and heating systems,” Mayor Thomas Menino said. “We’re also asking neighbors to look out for one another, and to take appropriate safety measures to prepare for the cold."

Tenates with unresponsive landlords can call the mayor's 24-hour hotline at t 617-635-4500 to report any issues related to lack of heat.  

 Tips to keep the cold out: 

• Make sure your heating systems are up to code and working properly - minimize the chances of them breaking down
• Do not run out of fuel, try to keep no less than a quarter tank of oil
• Keep service plan handy in case of emergency
• Property owners should have an emergency list of contractors(electrician, plumber and general contractor)
• Close and secure all storm windows and doors
• Install door guards on all exterior doorways
• Apply weather stripping to windows and doors
• Properly insulate all pipes exposed to cold temperatures
• Cover vents
• Disconnect water hose and wrap or cover exposed spigot
• Caulk or putty windows
• Ensure kitchen and bathroom dampers close properly