I've seen a few resources floating around describing frostbite. Some say "severe frostbite makes the skin black." This is true during the healing process, but not as it happens. Signs of frostbite *as it happens* are coldness, numbness, pale/waxy skin, and hard skin/tissue.

Your skin isn't going to turn black an hour into frostbite. This might not be news for those of us from colder climates, but it seems that some people are experiencing biting cold for the first time. Don't think that if your skin isn't black from the cold that things are fine.

Yes, understandably "don't be cold" isn't helpful advice for people who can't escape it, but misunderstanding the warning signs might mean people don't take action before they should.