The bitter cold and high wind chills are sending people to the emergency room.
At least two adults are being treated for frostbite at the University of Kansas Hospital, which is testing a new type of treatment. Doctors hope that it will help heal frozen tissue and could lead to fewer amputations.
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Robert Atkins said he realized something was wrong on a bitter cold night after he'd had too much to drink.
"I couldn't feel my right foot at all, period," he said.
Atkins, who is homeless, said the holidays are particularly hard for him because it's when he lost both of his parents.
He suffered frostbite on his fingers and his foot was badly damaged.
"They told me it's a very distinct possibility that I might lose a foot," he said.
A new treatment method means Atkins may not have to lose anything. It involves a drug that's normally used by stroke patients.
"Something called tPA, which is a clot-busting drug right down to the blood vessels that are blocked as a result of these frostbite injuries," said Dr. Richard Korentager of the University of Kansas Hospital.
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Stroke drug offers promising treatment for frostbite patients