Winter Weather Cancels Flights, Classes

[CaptinCrunch]

Winter Weather Cancels Flights, Classes
9AM EST, January 16, 2004

AP Wire Story

NEW YORK (AP) - The eastern United
States braced for another day of bitter
cold and blustery winds, making travel
and any outdoor exposure a hazard.
A low of 1 degree Fahrenheit (-17
Celsius) was reported overnight in New
York`s Central Park, matching the record
set on the same day in 1893, according to
National Weather Service meteorologist
Mike Silva.

It was expected to reach a high of 18 degrees F (-8 C) on Friday in the city, he
said.
``Any exposed skin can freeze in less than 30 minutes,`` Scott Reynolds,
another forecaster, warned.
Wind chills as low as 40-below zero F (-40 C) were forecast for the Northeast
Friday. Snow flurries fell over the Great Lakes early Friday.

In Michigan, the storm has claimed at least five lives, authorities said Thursday.
Thursday`s temperatures fell as low as minus -20 F (-29 C) at Sault Ste. Marie,
Michigan. The heaviest snow in Wednesday`s storm fell north of Detroit, with
accumulations of 10 inches (25 centimeters) reported in Genesee, Lapeer and
northern Oakland counties.
Across the Detroit area, slick conditions continued to make roads hazardous
and dozens of accidents were reported.

On Thursday, 5 inches (13 centimeters) of snowfall in the New York area made
for a treacherous commute. On New York`s Long Island, it took Dennis
Schiraldi 2 hours to make a trip that usually takes him 75 minutes.
``It was a crawl the whole way here,`` said Schiraldi.
Public schools across New York state were closed Friday morning due to the
cold.

Scores of flights were delayed or canceled at New York-area airports, and
ferries linking New Jersey and New York City were iced in, forcing commuters
to hop buses or find some other way to work.
The city`s Department of Homeless Services set out to help the population
most at-risk in severe weather.

Outreach teams planned to bring homeless people indoors, even against their
will, if they were at risk of losing life or limb, said Jim Anderson, a department
spokesman.