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FORECASTERS IN THE US are warning that the weekend will bring record-breaking cold spells.
“Arctic air mass and dangerously cold wind chills are expected across much of the eastern two-thirds of the country through this weekend,” the National Weather Service said.
“Many daily temperature records may be broken.”
Flights resumed from the region’s bustling airports in Boston and New York, although 20% were again cancelled at John F. Kennedy airport and 30% from La Guardia, the FlightAware website said.
Boston’s Logan airport also saw 30% of its flights axed.
Yesterday, heavy snowfall, glacial temperatures and high winds sparked by a “bomb cyclone” storm had combined to force the cancellation of some 4,300 flights, while another 3,500 were delayed.
Parts of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia got more than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow, according to NWS data.
Local authorities deployed thousands of snow plows to clear roads that had been blanketed.
In and around Boston, authorities raced to clear debris left behind by historic flooding, which was triggered by huge waves that accompanied the first major storm of the season.
Rescue services had to rush to the aid of people trapped by icy waters in their vehicles or forced from their homes by rising seawater, even in the historic area of the city, The Boston Globe said.
More than 10,000 people lost electricity across Massachusetts, although almost all of them had their power restored today, according the National Grid website.
Icy waters
As forecast, temperatures plunged today – despite sunny conditions, they were not expected to rise above 12 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 11 Celsius) in New York and Boston.
Later in the evening, the mercury was to drop ever lower across the region, and winds could gust as fast as 40 miles (60 kilometers) per hour, adding to the big chill.
But the NWS said that after the freezing blast that began just after Christmas, temperatures could rise to above the seasonal average next week.
Southern chill
The cold wave has extended the length of the US east coast. In usually balmy Florida, iguanas were reported to be falling out of trees.
“We do not encourage members of the public to ‘rescue’ cold-stunned iguanas by taking them indoors or otherwise trying to warm them up.” Sarah Lessard, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, told AFP.
They are wild animals and could try to defend themselves.
For travellers who had escaped to warmer climes, there was also bad news: the tail end of the massive storm system had a chilling effect on tropical Central America, where temperatures sank from Guatemala to Costa Rica.
Two homeless men reportedly froze to death in Costa Rica’s capital San Jose, where the mercury plunged as low as 10 degrees Celsius, well below the usual 25 degrees.
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Was there in 94 in Thurles Stadium, camping on that racecourse nearby. Great festival, no scangers. Prodigy and Sounds Crowd Orchestra on stage
@Rear Admiral: 76 pathetic little middle class bigots.. and counting!!
I was excited until I got to ‘vegan food stalls’
Jesus wept …
@Dara O’Brien: a chipper that does just chips.
@John D12: ah they’d find some reason to protest against that too
Feile was just some of the best times of my life! Best of luck to them.
Prosecco bars and vegan food stalls, while sitting down and listening to some orchestral mishmash of brewing up a storm… how can in even be called Féile?
Incidentally their next project is to produce a movie about 3 estranged sisters who make amends during a cross country road trip to attend a great aunts funeral in Nebraska… and call it Jurassic Park 5
@Stephen Boland: Quality comment!
Transvision Vamp in ’91, Wendy James
Happy days
Feile was not the first multi day music festival in Ireland
@Mark Johnson: what?
@Naoimh Ó Murchadha: Lisdoonvarna and Macroom?
Castlebar…..”Occasion at the castle” weekend rock festival. Early 1980s.
Back in the days u could build a fire in the campsite and the after concert rave in the stands
Ah Jesus, brings back memories, some poor b&&&ard was always pushed over when in the portaloo.
Any yokes?
Geez sounds brilliant!!!
Great
Thurles music heads tried to revive Feile a few years ago too…..
@Mark Johnson: your comments are making no sense mark. What are you talking about?
@Naoimh Ó Murchadha: pretty clear to everyone else…
Adding in the word classical is a great way of dissuading “people referred to as scangers” like the way classical music has been successfully used in subway stations to reduce loitering and crime.
Could be great, but flip-side is this (coupled with nostalgic acts) is going attract more “people referred to as ..ahem.. boring”.
@Jazz Buckler: Dinosaur Dads in Reni hats boring everyone about “the good aul days” and when music wasn’t Shite before slipping off hometown catch an episode of Catastrophe
No offence Tom but you lads are the rest of the bands mentioned had their day. What an awful line-up
Before my time but from all accounts although it may have been a Mecca for Irish bands it was an absolute hell on earth for Irish music fans. A badly organised gathering full of drunken louts with very little by way of proper facilities on the ground.
Anyway, this is the new smooth corporate hipster version by all accounts.
@Gene Dexter: nah, it was brilliant! You weren’t there, you wouldn’t understand.
@Gene Dexter: u can’t help yourself can you, don’t know who u were talking to but feile was great craic
@Gene Dexter: Ridiculous comments on every article. Quite a sad little life you must have, by all accounts.
@Gene Dexter: if anyone wants to know the definition of a “snowflake” they only have to look at your comment. You’re actually complaining about an event you were too young to attend. Despite that I speak for all of us that were there and just want to thank you for taking offence on our behalf.
Can I bring my granny?
Féile mo thoín. Bring back the old line up maybe.
Feile ’93. Had my first experience there in a tent with my best buddy (first love) while his cousin slept beside us.
A few dates wouldn’t have gone astray…
The rave on the stand beside the horse parade pumped with tunes from a ghetoblaster. Followed in the morning with a visit to the Hare Krishna tent to get a wholesome breakfast of beans and rice. Simple delights
The rave on the stand beside the horse parade pumped with tunes from a ghetoblaster. Followed by a visit to the hare krishna tent for a breakfast of beans and rice. Happy days
Rave in the stand beside the horse parade pumped by tunes from a ghetoblaster. Followed by a trip to the hare Krishna tent for a breakfast of beans and rice. Happy days
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