Buffalo Bills brave the cold in the stands before an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the New England Patriots, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

BOSTON (AP) — Officials across New England cautioned residents to stay indoors Saturday as a blast of Arctic air drives windchills as low as 35 degrees below zero (37 below zero Celsius) ahead of a winter storm.

The National Weather Service issued windchill warnings across stretches of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine as temperatures plunged overnight.

The service cautioned that dangerously cold windchills could cause frostbite in as little as 10 minutes on exposed skin.

Strong winds led to cancellation of the Lake Champlain ferry service between Charlotte, Vermont, and Essex, New York. With Vermont feeling some of the deepest cold, transportation officials encouraged residents to take blankets and emergency kits if they ventured outside.

In New Hampshire, health officials closed four outdoor COVID-19 testing clinics because of the cold and instead steered residents to dozens of indoor sites.

A gale warning was issued off the coast from Maine to Massachusetts, with reports of freezing spray in northern waters. The National Weather Service told mariners to expect winds as high as 40 mph (64 kph) and seas up to 21 feet (6.4 meters).

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu declared a cold emergency and announced that warming centers would be available at all Boston Centers for Youth & Families community centers that are usually open on Saturday.

The Boston Public Library’s central location was offering space to stay warm, and Boston police said officers were looking for anyone outside who needed help.

“We’re working quickly to make sure all of our residents and families are protected during this weekend’s extremely cold weather,” Wu said in a statement. “I urge all Boston residents to stay warm and safe, and check on your neighbors during this cold emergency.”

Temperatures were expected to rise slowly Saturday and Sunday. The region is bracing for a winter storm Sunday and Monday, with some areas expected to get as much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of snow.

Newsletter