A basic safety precaution is to take preventive action to reduce the risk of hypothermia, which is a very real threat in extreme cold-weather conditions. When exposed to cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced. Prolonged exposure to cold will eventually use up your body's stored energy and result in hypothermia or abnormally low body temperature. Hypothermia is particularly dangerous because it slows the functions of many vital organs, including the brain, and you may not even realize it.