Bitter arctic air has a firm grip on the Tri-State Area and isn’t about to let go anytime soon.
Temperatures remained well below freezing across the region today, and will stay that way through Sunday.
Snow is also possible on Friday.
The temperatures in New York City, northern suburbs and Long Island stayed in the teens for most of the day, but felt like they were in the single-digits thanks to the wind chill.
The temperatures are making things especially difficult for commuters who had to walk or wait for their bus or train.
“It’s kind of tough, especially in the night-time it gets real bad, temperatures start to drop, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” said one commuter.
“Got two pants. I got three layers on top of me plus my coat,” striking school bus driver Luis Borda in Washington Heights, told WCBS 880 reporter Paul Murnane.
“Layers are the secret, definitely. I have long johns on, thermal shirt. I got a hooded jacket on,” construction worker Nick DeStefano told WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs.
“You feel like you get slapped in the face, the wind just keeps hitting you, it’s a non-stop wind,” a sanitation worker told 1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg. “It’s so cold the rats are afraid, they’re hibernating right now.”
The frigid weather can also be dangerous for anyone working outside. Forecasters say prolonged exposure to the arctic air can cause frostbite and hypothermia. Experts advise protecting exposed areas by wearing hats and gloves and dressing in layers.
Thousands in the areas hit hardest by Superstorm Sandy are still living without heat during these dangerously cold days.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker is warning residents to be careful in the extreme cold.
“This is a very dangerous time and we want people to err on the side of caution,” Booker told WCBS 880′s Jim Smith.
Just like the extreme heat in the summer, Booker said this bitter cold can lead to “needless injuries and senseless death.”
“Look out for one another. If you know someone who is sick, who is a shut in, who is elderly, disabled, check in on them. This is a good time,” Booker said.
Read more at WCBS 880 AM
{Matzav.com Newscenter}
