People bundle up against temperatures in the mid-teens on Tuesday in Butler Township.

Dig out that long winter coat, hat and scarf — forecasters are predicting some of the coldest temperatures the county has experienced all year this coming week.

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh reported temperatures in Butler County are expected to peak Friday, with a high of 23 degrees.

For the rest of the week temperatures are only expected to reach single digits to the mid-teens or slightly higher.

Mike Kennedy, meteorologist, said Butler County can expect “a prolonged cold period” due to an arctic air mass that moved over the area.

The coldest temperatures are expected to be Wednesday with a high of 15 degrees and a low of 5 degrees, according to NWS.

“The overall patterns are not going to change,” he said. “We will be stuck into the same setup without any change. It's going to be cold.”

Kennedy said while it might be a bit premature to say this week will be the coldest of the year, it will be very similar to the first part of 2017, when temperatures were recorded at an average of 8 degrees for a seven-day period ending Jan. 11.

“This week will be very similar to that first part of January,” he said.

Kennedy said the coldest temperatures recorded by the National Weather Service in Butler County were in January 1994, when temperatures reached 20 below zero in Butler and 28 below in Slippery Rock.

Butler County was also saved from record-setting snowfalls that inundated parts of northwestern Pennsylvania over the Christmas holiday.

Kennedy said the weather predictions are showing very light accumulation of snow, with less than an inch expected, later in the week. There is also the possibility of precipitation Thursday night and throughout Friday and Saturday.

These cold temperatures will be giving county residents chills in the run-up to the New Year, especially some of the most vulnerable populations.

Bill Halle, founder and CEO of Grace Youth and Family Foundation, said homeless individuals will be at the most risk during this period.

The emergency shelter operated by the organization was expected to serve seven individuals Tuesday night, providing dinner, a place to sleep overnight and breakfast in the morning.

The foundation also tries to meet other resource needs, such as clothing and referrals to other services including drug, alcohol and mental health programs as needed.

Halle said as many as 50 individuals have been helped by the shelter throughout the year, with an average of six people housed per day.

“It keeps people alive, it's that simple,” he said. “Our program is independent and operated on the goodwill of the community, so we thank them for their support.”