SIDNEY - A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect for the Nebraska Panhandle, northeast Colorado and southeast Wyoming from midnight Saturday until 11 a.m. Tuesday, as dangerously low wind chills are expected to sweep through the region.

According to the National Weather Service office, temperatures are forecast to plunge to life-threatening levels, with wind chills dropping as low as minus 25 degrees and some areas of open country feeling as cold as minus 30. The NWS says these extreme conditions could cause frostbite in minutes and increase the risk of hypothermia for those exposed to the elements.

The bitter cold has already prompted some closures and schedule changes. Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lodgepole will be closed on Sunday, with its annual meeting rescheduled for next Sunday. Additionally, Potter-Dix high school basketball games against Hay Springs were postponed Saturday.

Residents are urged to limit outdoor activities and dress in layers if venturing outside. Officials recommend checking on older family members, friends and neighbors to ensure their safety. Pet owners are also reminded to bring animals indoors or provide adequate shelter, food and unfrozen water.

Portable heaters should be used with care, and grills or generators should never be operated indoors due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The weather service says this cold front, potentially accompanied by light snow, is expected to persist into early next week. While a gradual warming trend is anticipated later in the week, strong winds in southeast Wyoming may add to hazardous conditions through Tuesday night.