An extreme cold watch was issued by the National Weather Service on Saturday at 3:54 a.m. valid from Sunday 9 p.m. until Monday 9 a.m. for Choctaw, Washington, Clarke, Wilcox, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw, Escambia, Covington, Mobile and Baldwin counties.

The weather service says, “Dangerously cold wind chills as low as 8 above are possible.”

“Very cold temperatures and wind chills will impact the area,” explains the weather service. “Dress in layers including a hat, face mask, and gloves if you must go outside. To prevent water pipes from freezing; wrap or drain or allow them to drip slowly. Keep pets indoors as much as possible. Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates.”

Understanding cold weather alerts

Extreme cold watch: Be Prepared. An extreme cold watch is issued when dangerously cold air temperatures or wind chill values are possible. As with a warning, adjust your plans to avoid being outside during the coldest parts of the day. Make sure your car has at least half a tank of gas, and update your winter survival kit.

Extreme cold warning: Take Action! An extreme cold warning is issued when dangerously cold air temperatures or wind chill values are expected or occurring. If you are in an area with an extreme cold warning, avoid going outside. If you have to go outside, dress in layers, cover exposed skin, and make sure at least one other person knows your whereabouts. Update them when you arrive safely at your destination.

Cold weather advisory: Be Aware. A cold weather advisory is issued when seasonably cold air temperatures or wind chill values, but not extremely cold values, are expected or occurring. Be sure you and your loved ones dress appropriately and cover exposed skin when venturing outdoors.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.