Coldest air of the year…maybe in a decade?
Yes, it’s cold outside! (I ain’t leaving my apartment until the weekend!)
Here’s what everyone is talking about!
Photo courtesy of AP ( A man walks down a street near the Capital building after a heavy, early morning snow storm blew through Denver on Monday, Jan. 12, 2009.(AP Photo/Bill Ross)
MINNEAPOLIS – Arctic air extended its grip Wednesday with below-zero temperatures stretching from Montana to northern New England and frost nipping the Gulf Coast.
It was so cold Wednesday in northern Minnesota — 38 below zero at International Falls, with the wind chill during the night estimated at 50 below — that a couple of ski areas closed for the day.
Schools from Iowa to Ohio opened late so kids would not have to be out in the coldest part of the morning. Some schools closed.
The cold wave also bulged into the Northeast, abruptly dropping temperatures in New York state into the single digits and below zero — after Tuesday’s readings in the 30s, the National Weather Servicesaid. Thermometers read 8 below at Massena, on the St. Lawrence River, with a wind chill of minus 25 degrees.
Commuters in Albany, N.Y., faced a chill of 6 degrees, with brisk wind making it feel like 15 below zero, but some people claimed they didn’t mind.
“I’m a cold weather fan,” said Jeff Plant of Colonie, N.Y., as he sat reading a newspaper at an Albany coffee shop. “I like to see some cold weather in the winter.” Later, he said, he planned to go for a walk “to get some sun.”
Near the shore of Lake Superior, Ironwood, Mich., fell to 25 below zero around midnight, then warmed to an 8 a.m. reading of only 8 below, the National Weather Service said.
Farther south, morning temperatures were just in the 20s from Texas to Georgia, and along the Gulf Coast the weather service reported a low of just 28 at Mobile, Ala.
The cold was accompanied by ice and snow that glazed pavement and was blamed for numerous traffic accidents Tuesday from Minnesota to Indiana.
The bitter cold also was blamed for at least one death Tuesday. A 51-year-old man died of exposure in northern Wisconsin after wandering from his Hayward home.
The cold kept towing and auto repair companies busy across Wisconsin, along with public works crews dealing with frozen pipes and water mains.
“We’re working basically 24 hours a day with broken mains,” said Dave Goldapp with Milwaukee Public Works.
As the coldest air pushed toward the east, there was a slight improvement on the northern Plains, where Grand Forks, N.D., posted a low Wednesday of 24 below zero, up from Tuesday’s record low of 37 below. In Minnesota, International Falls dropped to minus 40 on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the wind chillhit 58 below zero at the northern Minnesota town of Hallock, but Mark Johnson said that once temperatures get to a certain point, the degrees don’t matter. For example, he said, 38 degrees below zero isn’t much different than 24 below.
“We’re kind of acclimated to it up here up in this country,” he said. “Each year, sometime during the winter, it’s going to get to this point. Just as long as it doesn’t stay like this for a whole month, you can deal with the day-to-day getting through it.”
Hey Janice,
I’m glad you’re staying inside where it’s nice and warm for you and your little one! I wish I could do the same. It’s cold up here on the mountain this morning but not as cold as the aptly named Frostburg, which is a few hundred feet higher in elevation. Someone said they had 7 degrees this morning up there. The snow emergency plan is in effect in Garrett County since they’re even higher in elevation than Frostburg. I just hate being cold!
Stay warm!
Margie
Morning Janice…
The only reason I will venture out is to get my mail…gotta keep the bill collectors at bay!
Just received a couple of emails from my buddy, Art Hellyer, who lives in Naperville, Illinois about 20 miles west of Chicago. The snow is five feet deep around his house and it is very hard to go anywhere.
Look at this weather forecast for Chicago that Art sent me a few minutes ago:
Your Seven-Day Forecast – Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tracy Butler’s Weather Forecast
Windy and bitterly cold with some snow Wednesday.
Seven-Day Forecast:
Today: High of 10. Winter Weather Advisory. Periods of snow through the afternoon. Blowing snow will reduce visibility significantly during the afternoon. Tonight: Low of -7. Wind Chill Warning. Temperatures will fall below zero and wind chills may drop as low as 20 to 35 below zero.
Thursday: High of -1, Low of -13. Mostly sunny and windy.
Friday: High of 7, Low of 3. Partly sunny and brutally cold.
Saturday: High of 20, Low of 11. Mostly cloudy with a few flurries.
Sunday: High of 26, Low of 15. Mostly sunny.
Monday: High of 30, Low of 18. Mostly sunny.
Tuesday: High of 29, Low of 14. Partly sunny.
To make Art feel better, I told him that it is sunny and clear in L.A. this morning, 54 degrees at 8:30, expected to reach 81 degrees later on.
So it goes….
George Spink
Los Angeles
Hey everyone,
Just thought I’d check in and say hello. So far it made it up to 25 degrees today, but thankfully the wind isn’t blowing like it was last night.
I just had something happened that made my day. After feeling totally unappreciated after last week’s events, it’s nice to have someone take time out of their day to stop by to thank me for something. Neither last week’s events nor today’s event are work-related (so at least my job is going well) but the person who stopped by a little while ago is the system director of the business office at the health system. Last year at the craft fair one of the women who works for Gary in the business office asked if I did photos by request. She was looking for a Christmas gift for Gary and asked if I would take a photo of the Masonic temple where he’s a member. I took the picture, framed, and matted it and Diana was very pleased with it. Well, apparently so was Gary because he stopped by to thank me and he said that my picture is the best picture he’s seen of the temple–that was a nice compliment! He’s a busy man yet he took time out to stop by my office to thank me. That just made my day!
That day I took the picture was a perfect day and the sun was at the perfect angle. The temple is up on a big hill and I took the photo from the sidewalk looking up at the building. I was pleased with it and I’m just tickled that Gary was pleased! That helped my mood tremendously!
Now I’m out of space! Have a great day everyone!
Margie
5 Ft of snow? Nope got 10 maybe Foot no
Hey Guys,
Thanks for all your expressions of concern for my back. I took several muscle relaxers and pain
pills last night and today as well as running through my series of physical therapy and crunches
routine several times. My back feels much better, and I’ve been pain-free and working on my
book all day. I need to keep it up, and I’m not out of the woods yet, but I am definitely on the
mend and appreciate all of your well-wishes!
All the best,
Tony
10 inches of snow that is here in Lombard which is about little over 13 miles from Naperville
Hey Kelly,
In windy conditions I’m sure 10 inches of snow can cause 5 ft. drifts of snow around someone’s house. It doesn’t have anywhere to go when it hits a building so I’m sure it can pile up quickly. Be thankful if you don’t have drifting snow. I’m sure that is a problem in many areas that got snow.
Margie
Hey Margie,
That is great that he stopped by and showed his appreciation. I know that was very uplifting!
Sometimes we all need that little extra pat on the back
The sun is shining here, but it is cold, and the wind cuts like a razor blade!!
How many days til Spring????
Tony…I’m glad your back is better friend.
Kelly..maybe you will get that much need thaw soon!
Have a good afternoon and evening all!
Deb
Hey Guys,
I still welcome all readers of Hurricane of Independence to post a quick review on Amazon or B&N. I appreciate a few minutes of your time.
Thanks!
Tony
Tony,
I’m so glad your back is feeling better! I’ve been praying for you and I’m thankful you’re doing better. Just be careful that you don’t overdo it. Backs are a funny thing. I think I posted on the blog a few weeks ago when I hurt my back getting out of my car at church one Sunday. That bothered me for a few days. We must take care of our backs!
Take care,
Margie
Thanks Margie! The good news is that it’s purely muscular. So the muscle relaxers and a program
of physical therapy (not to mention being careful exercising or picking up heavy things) usually
does the trick.
Thanks again for your concern!
Tony
Was just listening to a British journalist who was saying that over in Britian they are reporting the coldest winter since 1963……
Have fun with that cold air. Currently here in Wasilla we are at 45F! It sounds good but with this warm air comes melting and then freezing. It sucks!
It was a nice bright day here in the OV, but burrr cold, -21 at noon, and with a windchill factor it felt like -31. But thinking about years past it’s normal.
For those people who might read but not comment, you can get a copy of my book Hurricane of
Independence for less than $15. FYI.
Thanks,
Tony
Hey Janice,
Yep, we warmed up really well over the past 48 or so hours. In Wasilla we went from 12F on the 12th to 45F today. We had a warm system move in from the south which we call a ‘pineapple express’. Also with the warm air cam freezing rain and rain. Rain falling on snow isn’t a good thing. The Anchorage Police Dep responded to 180 accidents from midnight last night the 13th to noon today the 14th. We should stay pretty warm for the rest of the week. This type of weather is more related to ‘break up’ March-April time frame, but over the past few years a warming like this happens from time to time in winter. It’s not uncommon.
Well hope all is well,
Oh…Allison rolled from her stomach to her back tonight. So exciting!!!
Good morning everyone,
We finally got our first real snowfall of the season and it was just the right amount–2 inches. With it being so cold the snow is light and fluffy and it was really easy to clear my car off this morning. I can’t believe they closed schools for 2 inches of snow. First they delayed them two hours and then decided to close them–for 2 inches of snow??? Well, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since they canceled school last week for a cloudy day. I hope they don’t do that too much or else the poor kids will be going to school in July! It was pretty chilly this morning. It was 20 degrees when I got up but dropped to 17 by the time I left for work. It’s not supposed to get much more than 20 degrees today but at least there’s sunshine so psychologically that should help.
I hope everyone has a great day!
Margie
Brrrrrr!! Perfect excuse to stay indoors, watch a good movie, maybe a book and a jigsaw puzzle. There are benefits. Stay warm everyone.
More snow in NYC this morning!!!
**happy dance yet again!**
G’mornin Y’all,
It is 12 frigid degrees here with snow flurries…and the single digits are coming tonight! Yikes!!!
No school today either…they call it off here when the first snow flurry falls. I am sure there are alot of happy kids though. My grandson is here for the day and he sure seems happy about it.
So I guess my day will consist of cartoons, coloring, sippy cups and toddler time. Not a bad thing. I love being a granny.
Enjoy your day everyone, stay warm and Guillaume keep those happy dances coming
Deb