BATON ROUGE - WBRZ's Chief Meteorologist Dr. Josh Eachus says colder temperatures are moving in.

Colder weather means residents need to take precautions to stay safe and warm this season. Forecasts predict a high of 60 degrees later in the week.

With the cold here, residents will be turning on their heaters and leaving them on. Doing so may leave residents with a high utility bill. For every degree above 70, your heating cost will increase up to four percent.

Be cautious about using space heaters to warm a home. In a rash of deadly house fires at the beginning of 2018, spaces heaters were a constant cause. They should not be placed in rooms with children or pets, and should be plugged in directly into the wall.

Even though we haven't been hit by a freeze yet, preparation is key. People should start covering their pipes to protect them from freezing or bursting. It's better to stop by hardware stores early before supplies run out.

Homes and pipes aren't the only things that need to stay warm in the cold. Residents shouldn't forget about their pets. Animal control says this time of year, there is a spike in complaint calls about pets being left out in the cold. Leaving animals in the freezing temperatures for long periods of time is considered animal cruelty and could come with a hefty fine.  Chances are if you're cold, they're cold.