Why Alcohol Is a Risk During Winter Outages
That familiar sensation doesn’t mean your body is actually staying warm
12:08 p.m. Jan. 23, 2026
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
When it gets cold, many people – maybe more so in Moore County – naturally reach for a glass of whiskey. (Winter Jack, anyone?) This tradition is almost as old as winter itself: a slow pour, the deep amber color, and a familiar warmth that seems to spread from your chest to your fingertips.
However, that comforting feeling can be misleading. Whiskey does not actually warm your body, and in cold weather, it can even have the opposite effect.
Knowing the difference between feeling warm and actually being warm is important, especially during winter storms, power outages, or long periods in the cold.
• Why winter weather hits Moore County hard
The Myth of ‘Liquid Warmth’
Alcohol, including whiskey, causes blood vessels near the skin to dilate. This increased blood flow creates a flushing effect that makes the skin feel warm. It is the same reason cheeks redden after a drink.
The problem is that this warmth comes from your core. When alcohol pulls heat toward the surface of your body, it causes you to lose more heat to the air around you. In cold conditions, this can make your core body temperature drop faster, even though you might feel more comfortable.
In other words, whiskey creates the feeling of warmth but actually increases the risk of hypothermia.
A Dangerous Companion Outdoors
The risks become more serious when alcohol is consumed before or during outdoor cold exposure. Alcohol dulls judgment, slows reaction time, and reduces awareness of physical distress. Early signs of hypothermia – shivering, confusion, fatigue – are easier to miss or dismiss after drinking.
This is why alcohol is strongly discouraged during activities such as hunting, farm work, travel during winter storms, or waiting in vehicles during icy conditions. It is also why emergency management agencies consistently advise against alcohol use during cold-weather emergencies.
Power Outages and Winter Storms
Cold-weather power outages pose a particular risk. Without reliable heat, the body depends on insulation, hydration, calories, and alert decision-making to maintain warmth. Alcohol undermines all four.
It increases heat loss, causes dehydration, and can lead to risky decisions, like going outside when you do not need to or falling asleep in unsafe conditions. During long outages, these problems can get worse over time.
• Surviving the cold without power
When Whiskey is Not a Problem
This does not mean whiskey should be avoided in winter. The situation makes a difference.
If you enjoy whiskey indoors, in moderation, and in a warm place, it is usually safe for most healthy adults. After coming in from the cold, once you are dry, have eaten, and are warm, a small glass is unlikely to cause harm. In hot drinks like a toddy, the warmth comes from the hot liquid, not the alcohol.
The important thing is to never treat whiskey as a source of heat or as a replacement for proper cold-weather preparation.
The Takeaway
Whiskey does not actually warm your body in cold weather. It just makes you feel warm while causing you to lose more heat and think less clearly.
Indoors, in safe settings, it can be part of enjoying winter. But in the cold or during emergencies, it can quietly make things more dangerous.
When it gets cold, real warmth comes from wearing layers, eating enough, staying hydrated, and having shelter, not from alcohol.
