Not content to merely boast about its superior cold-weather tolerance against the arctic tundra, Canada has decided to send a brutal cold snap across the northeastern U.S., bringing the most frigid air in two years. Last night’s predicted low of 4 degrees was supposed to be the coldest night on record since January, 2000. The arctic blast is expected to continue through today, with the chilliest areas dipping to less than 30 degrees below zero and wind chill down to 51 below zero, according to the National Weather Service. The extreme weather has already been linked to two deaths, including a woman in Connecticut whose frozen body was found after she fell in her driveway, and a man in the Philadelphia area whose wife discovered his body after he spent the night in his car. The city’s 311 system has received hundreds of calls about landlords who have left tenants vulnerable without heat or hot water. And the Homeless Services department triggered its emergency Code Blue procedure, relaxing shelter-admissions rules and forcing people to come inside and, for the 41st time this winter, urging New Yorkers to call 311 if they see someone in need of help. Okay, Canada, we relent.
Woman Dies in Driveway as Cold Hits Northeast [CBS News]
Seeking a Warm Place on City’s Coldest Night [NYT]
Homeless, irate tenants still shivering as frigid temperatures put many at risk [NYDN]
