The Vortex Hath Arrived

Checking the weather app on my workplace cell phone, I see that it is 4F (-15.5C) outside, with wind chills making it feel like -15F (-26C). Yep, the polar vortex which has been gripping the Midwest has finally arrived. Needless to say, I have put on multiple layers of clothing, including a pair of flannel lined jeans which are tailor made (heh) for nights such as this. I also plan on limiting my exposure to the elements. While my work tasks involve some outdoor time, on a night like this, I can slack off on these to some extent for the sake of personal safety.

Earlier today, there was a brief snow squall which led to whiteout conditions on the roads throughout the Northeast, and not the good kind:





Luckily, this squall hit hours before I had to leave for work. All things told, though, I can't complain about the cold- I am well-equipped to deal with it. Besides, I've been getting regular updates from my old college roommate, who lives in St Paul, Minnesota. The cold snap we're having here in New York is positively balmy compared to the Twin Cities.

UPDATE: Went out to handle some tasks in the one o'clock hour, and the temperature was, according to the workplace cell phone, a flat zero degrees Fahrenheit, with the wind chills making it feel like minus eighteen. Needless to say, I didn't tarry outside for long. Ginger, I am happy to say, is happily ensconced on one of the radiator covers in the building in which she spends nights that are sufficiently cold to require something 'stronger' than her heated bed in an unheated building.