Miguel Legoas, Alex Perry and Elissa Robinson, Savannah Morning News
Georgia had one winter storm earlier this month and another this week, dropping snow and ice into areas that rarely see it. Whether or not a third storm is in the near future, temperatures are still expected to drop at or below freezing in many areas over the next few days.
Several common items that you may normally store in your car can get damaged if left inside the vehicle for extended periods of time. From medications to eyeglasses, the freezing temperatures risk wear and tear on items that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Freezing temperatures can disable features or even do damage to batteries, including those in your cell phone, tablet, and other devices. Apple recommends operating iOS devices where the temperature is between 32 and 95 degrees, but says it's fine to store the device at much colder temps -- all the way down to minus 4 degrees. At those lower temperatures you'll want to shut the phone off. Samsung cites a similar operating range for its phones.
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Water-based liquids expand when frozen, meaning any canned beverages from sodas to beer could potentially explode. The freezing point for standard water is 32 degrees and it's similar (plus or minus a couple of degrees) for most other drinks.
The sensitivity of musical instrument materials (like wood and metal) can lead to cracks and warping on your instrument when left in a cold car. According to Yamaha Music USA, woodwind and string instruments are at high risk for cracking when they absorb water and contract. Brass instruments can also freeze, leading to stuck valves and tuning slides.
If an instrument is left in a freezing car for a long period, try to let it warm up gradually.
Letting a can of beans sit in your car allows for the water to freeze and expand as it does in beer and soda. The USDA advises that this can result in a broken seal, causing spoilage. If canned food freezes, allow it to thaw in a refrigerator.
"If the product doesn't look and/or smell normal, throw it out. Do not taste it! If the seams have rusted or burst, throw the cans out immediately, wrapping the burst can in plastic and disposing of the food where no one, including animals, can get it," the USDA advises.
If you head to the pharmacy in the cold temperatures, be sure to bring your medication bottles inside when you get home. According to Reuters, leaving your pills in the extreme cold (or heat) can significantly alter the effectiveness of prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs. Freezing can also alter the physical properties of medications, leading to inconsistent dosing and reduced efficacy.
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Leaving eyeglasses in a cold car can cause the lenses to crack or become brittle, according to Web Eye Care. Exposure to the extreme temperatures can also warp plastic frames, potentially damaging how your eyes align with the lenses in your glasses.
Despite being a refrigerated item, leaving your eggs in a cold car is still bad. As the inside of the egg freezes and expands, the eggshell can crack and ultimately make a mess when they're thawed. If your frozen eggs crack, toss them. Keep the uncracked ones frozen and move them to the refrigerator before use.
"These can be hard cooked successfully, but other uses may be limited. That's because freezing causes the yolk to become thick and syrupy, so it will not flow like an unfrozen yolk or blend very well with the egg white or other ingredients," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.
However, you can safely freeze whole eggs by beating them until blended and pouring them into tightly-sealed freezer containers for future use, according to Food and Wine.
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X and Instagram @miguelegoas and email at [email protected].