BLOOMINGTON - Bundle up out there. A weather system out of Canada is bringing noticeably colder air into Central Illinois, which is under a winter weather advisory until noon Tuesday.

The National Weather Service in Lincoln predicts a high of only 10 degrees Tuesday, with a chance of snow flurries and slight accumulation.

While the low temperature and snow might be enough to make most of us shiver, Matt Barnes, a meteorologist with the weather service, said strong winds will make it even worse.

Winds Tuesday of 15 to 20 mph are expected. Gusts may reach 30 mph, producing a wind chill of about 15 below zero, Barnes said.

The high winds could play havoc in the Streator area, which is under a blizzard warning. Barnes said that's because there is more snow on the ground in the northern parts of Illinois and the high winds are expected to blow the snow, cutting visibility and making travel treacherous. The conditions in Pontiac are expected to be more like the rest of Central Illinois, Barnes said.

Throughout Central Illinois, people should avoid being outdoors for long periods, Barnes said, adding that if they go out, they should dress warm.

While the gusts Tuesday will be out of the northwest, wind Wednesday will come from the south, warming things up to a high of 20 after an overnight low of 3. However, Wednesday night a colder air mass will cause wind chills to drop into the 15 to 20 degree below range, with the cold continuing into Thursday, when the predicted high is only 6 and the low minus 5.

Friday is expected to inch up to a high of about 13, with a low of 6 below. As cold as minus-6 seems, however, Barnes said it is far from the record of 20 below for a Jan. 16. Winds are expected to die down Friday, negating wind chill as a factor.

The potential for bone-chilling lows prompted warnings from the Bloomington Police Department.

Spokesman Dave White said people should be prepared for bad weather even if they are just driving a short distance. "You don't want to be out there changing a flat tire in just a sweatshirt," he said.

Motorists traveling longer distances should have a cold weather kit that includes blankets, candles and food, he said.

White said there is one side benefit of extremely cold weather. That benefit is crime typically slows down.

While the bad guys tend to stay inside, Stacey Bill, an adoptions counselor for the Humane Society of Central Illinois, said pets should be inside as well.

Dogs, even with their fur coats, can get frost bite on their toes, tails and ears, she said. The time is takes for a dog to to potentially get frost bite varies by the temperature, as well as the age, size and breed of the dog.

While it's best to bring pets indoors in very cold weather, if they stay outdoors they should have plenty of straw in their doghouse. Straw is better than blankets because blankets tend to retain water, Bill said.

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Cold weather tips

• Dress in layers to adjust to changing conditions. Wearing a hat and mittens is suggested, as is waterproof and insulated boots.

• After returning indoors, get out of wet clothing immediately and sip hot fluids to warm the body.

• If you experience confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering, you may have hypothermia. If you have skin discoloration, numbness or a waxy skin feeling, you may have frostbite. Seek immediate medical attention for either.

SOURCE: American Red Cross of the Heartland