The National Weather Service has issued a warning regarding the perilous conditions of the Potomac River, where water temperatures are currently at a chilling 35 degrees Fahrenheit, despite the air temperatures in Washington, DC, hovering around 50 degrees.
The sudden immersion in such frigid water can trigger a phenomenon known as cold shock, leading to immediate physiological responses like uncontrolled gasping, rapid breathing, or hyperventilation, as highlighted by the National Weather Service.
