SAGINAW, Mich. -- It's a bitterly cold morning across Michigan.

The state is in a deep freeze, with subzero readings in wide areas of the state and more than eight inches of snow predicted for parts of the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The National Weather Service said the coldest air of the season has arrived in the Upper Peninsula and temperatures are expected to remain frigid for the rest of the week.

Thursday night's low could sink to 20 to 25 below zero in the U.P.

Police and fire crews plan to visit outdoor spots frequented by the homeless and ask them to come to a shelter for protection.

TV5’s multiple meteorologists are tracking just how low those temperatures are headed.

While crews were out clearing roads from the Great Lakes Bay Regional roads all morning, sub-zero temperatures the region is about to see will play havoc with efforts to keep traffic moving. As the mercury drops, so does the effectiveness of road salt.

Thawing Frozen Pipes

The cold weather can cause major problems inside your home. One of the leading causes of fire during the winter months are accidents caused while trying to thaw pipes.

One tip to get water running again, without putting your family in danger, is to turn on a faucet so that once water starts flowing, it will break up the ice jam in the pipe. Next, never use a blowtorch. Not only can it start a fire, it can also cause the water in the pipe to boil, which can lead to an explosion. Instead, use a heating pad or hot towels draped on the pipe.

Finally, if you cannot find the frozen part of the pipe, call a plumber, because if one pipe freezes, others can follow. For more tips on surviving Michigan’s winter weather, check out WNEM.com’s Winter Survival Guide here.

Helping Four-Legged Friends Survive Cold

Sub-zero temperatures mean it’s time to bring in outdoor pets in from the cold. But it is not a good idea to bring them into a heated area.

Dogs that have thick fur coats don’t mind the cold. Just make sure Fido has plenty to eat, make sure their doghouse has cedar chips or straw and double check the house for cracks that can let drafts in.

Also make certain the doghouse opening is covered and that their water is not frozen solid. If you don’t have a doghouse for an outdoor animal, keep it in a covered, unheated garage.

Do not let it inside a warm house because moving the animal indoors is hard on its internal organs to go between extremes. An indoor dog should only be allowed outside for a short time to relieve itself.

In times of extreme cold, it is very dangerous to let cats outside. If you see an animal out in the cold, contact your local animal control office.

House Insulation

With the temperature dropping, many people are feeling a chill in their homes. Hardware stores offer some easy and affordable ways to make sure that does not happen and keep your heating bill as low as possible.

Dennis Stodolak, of Homestead Center in Auburn, said it is important to seal off your windows with plastic to keep heat in. Stodolak said doors are also a big source of heat loss and using weather stripping helps keep the cold at bay. “(Weather stripping) is foam with an adhesive backing,” said Stodolak. “And you just go around the frame and it seals out the cold air.”

The store has sold more products like these in the past few days as residents gear up for the cold.