James' weather career has spanned 39 years, with 23 years in the Air Force and 16 years with the Weather Service. Before arriving at International Falls, he was a hydrometeorological technician at the Duluth office, and before that, was the official in charge of the St. Cloud weather office. James is quite familiar with the Falls area from the two years he spent there as a weather service and upper air specialist before his assignment to St. Cloud. Winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. People die in traffic accidents on icy roads.
People die of heart attacks while shoveling snow.
People die of hypothermia from prolonged exposure to cold. The very young and old are much more susceptible to the dangers of cold temperatures. Some warning signs of hypothermia include shivering, drowsiness, disorientation, slurred speech and memory loss. If medical care is not available, begin warming the person slowly. Warm the body core first.