(ABC 6 News) – It’s cold, very cold, as at last check here on Monday evening, it was eight degrees with a wind chill of negative four, but that is just part of living in the Upper Midwest this time of year. I talked with some folks around the area on what they think about the cold and have some tips on how you can stay warm.

It’s that time of year, a time often characterized by very cold temperatures across southeastern Minnesota and northern Iowa. For some people such as Doris Heiser, it meant going right back indoors where it is warm.

“I went outside, and I went right back in,” said Heiser.

While we may come to expect it, it doesn’t mean we all love it. We often just try and avoid it the best we can.

“I took my coat off, because I could walk the skyways, I didn’t have to go outside I realized,” said Heiser.

But if you do venture outdoors to take part in fun winter activities, there are a few things you can do to stay safe.

“Wearing multiple layers, making sure your extremities are very well covered as you mentioned before,” said Dr. Luke Woods, Emergency Physician at Zumbro Valley Medical Society.

Experts say it’s important to listen to your body, so you don’t put yourself at risk of things like frostbite or hypothermia.

Both conditions are dangerous, as frost bite can cause the permanent loss of extremities. There is also hypothermia to consider, which can result in loss of congnitive function and the inability for the body to generate heat, a fatal condition.

“If you’ve been shivering for twenty to thirty minutes and you’re not warming up, it’s time to change your game plan,” said Dr. Woods.

Now we’ll get a break from the arctic air here in a few days but as we head into the weekend, Siberian air makes its way into the region, sending those temperatures plunging. We’ll have more information on this cold right here on ABC 6 News over the next few days.