Officials: Weather may be warm but 'cold water is no joke'

With two more days of warm weather this week, some people will likely want to cool off in the water, but it can also be dangerous.

The sun is starting to come up and as temperatures climb toward 80 Wednesday, the water is going to look inviting.

In Snohomish County, visitors to Wallace Falls found a woman's body Tuesday. How she died and who she is not yet known, but first responders are reminding the public that every year around this time, people drown.

Though it may feel like summer outside, it’s only April and as the mountain snow starts to melt, it flows into lakes and rivers and keeps them very cold.

KIRO 7 Reporter Deedee Sun looked at our past coverage, which showed there were seven water rescues alone on the Green River in 2017.

We talked with King County officials last year, who offered advice when it comes to swimming rivers in the spring.

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"The rivers are really, really dangerous right now. Please stay out of the rivers. Please make sure you have a life jacket if you're near the water,” said Tim Perciful with Mountain View Fire & Rescue.

In King County, by law, you have to have a life jacket on your paddleboard or kayak, but you're not legally required to wear it.

First responders recommend wearing one because after about 10 minutes in cold water, muscles stop working and treading water becomes impossible.

But at this time of year, first responders recommend you stay out of the water altogether.

The National Weather Service reported that water temperatures on Wednesday morning were as follows:

• Puget Sound & Strait of Juan de Fuca, 48-50 degrees
• Lake Washington, 50 degrees
• Lake Sammamish, 53 degrees

According to water safety information from the Army Corps of Engineers, it only takes less than a half-cup of water in one's lungs to drown.  Officials say cold water shock occurs within a minute, cold incapacitation within 10 minutes and hypothermia within an hour.

Cold water also causes an involuntary gasp or torso reflex, which may take the swimmer’s breath away and make it hard to function.

Cox Media Group