Boston will fall under a cold emergency Friday and Saturday with wind chills set to reach as low as -10 degrees, Mayor Michelle Wu announced.

“During these harsh conditions, please plan ahead to stay warm, look out for your neighbors and take all necessary precautions to stay safe,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Our city departments are working around the clock to ensure all Boston residents are connected to the resources they need in a cold emergency.”

Friday through Saturday night, the region is expected to reach lows as low as 5 degrees and see gusty winds bring the feels like temperatures into the negatives, according to forecasts. On Sunday, a snowstorm is forecasted to bring six to 12 inches of snow across Massachusetts.

During the cold emergency, Boston Centers for Youth and Families will activate warming locations at their community centers during normal operating hours, and residents in need are encouraged to visit Boston Public Library locations.

The city warned residents there is an increased risk of hypothermia and frostbite, especially those in at risk populations. The mayor advised “all residents to take precautions, including reminding everyone to check in on older adults, people with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness.”

Pine Street Inn, Boston Public Health Commission’s emergency shelters, and others will also be open and conducting outreach to help those in need during the emergency.

“As this really, really cold weather is coming upon us, two messages. One is if you see people out there, tell them we will make room here at Pine Street Inn,” said the shelter president Lyndia Downie. “You can come in; we will find space. Won’t be pretty, but it will be warm. Get a hot meal. So do come in.”

The shelter emphasized they may not have a bed, but they will have a mat or cot or space in the warming center to get out of the cold for a few hours. The four shelters across the city have over 600 beds, staff said.

Shelter staff encouraged folks to “not to underestimate the upcoming cold weather, combined with an upcoming storm” and come in sooner than you think you need to.

“Second thing I would say is, we do get a lot of calls from the public as the weather gets cold saying, ‘There’s someone on Washington Street. Can you check on them?’” Downie said. “During this cold, call 911. Because we can’t get there as fast as 911. We don’t know if the person’s in medical distress or not.”

For those looking to help, Downie said, they can always use donations of more items like cold weather gear, Chapstick, cough drops and socks.

The city warned anyone aware of someone homeless, staying in a vehicle or other insufficient shelter to also call 911.

Health officials also urged residents to stay safe and watch out for frostbite. For children, frostbite can set in faster because their bodies lose heat up to four times faster than adults, said Shriners Children’s Boston doctor Robert Sheridan.

“If children are playing in extreme cold, they should come indoors every 15 minutes or so to warm up and check for signs of frostbite,” Sheridan said. “Frostnip is less serious and can be treated by warming the child indoors, but frostbite is a medical emergency and requires immediate care.”

Signs of frostbite include a loss of feeling and paleness in the extremities like fingers, toes, ear lopes and the tips of the nose, city officials said. Signs of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech and apparent exhaustion, and severe symptoms require immediate medical care.

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The city issued many safety tips for residents, including dressing for the weather in several layers; keep residences above the mandated temperatures of 68 degrees in the day and 64 degrees at night; never using unsafe heating devices like a kitchen stove or grill to heat homes; and more.

The city encourages residents to sign up for Alert Boston for cold weather alerts. More information on cold safety and resources can be found at boston.gov/cold.

National Weather Service wind chill chart. (NWS.gov)