At 5AM today it was announced our city is closed until Friday, even the UW which never closes...

[jodymarie aimee]

Stevens Point WI...Weather guy said don't go outside..And if you do, don't breathe or talk. Churches, the whole shebang...I have Doc appt tomorrow AM...I will get there..

[Rorey]

1. Don't breathe or talk?

I could handle the not talking, but I've found that I need to breathe. It's non-negotiable.

[JustAnotherGen]

7. Breathe through your nose

The air that cold can cause severe damage to your lungs. It's why in the Great Lakes our mom's did the scarf around the face when we were kids.

We could breath through our mouths (with our mouths open) AND put our arms down AFTER we go to school.

[Rorey]

8. That's why I moved several states south of where I grew up.

North Dakota winters were often brutal, and I know it's got to be even worse around the Great Lakes.

Now I'm in Colorado (38 years!), and while we do get some cold weather here on the Front Range, it doesn't last for months like it did up there. Yesterday the high here was about 32, and I made the decision that it was too cold to go out. In ND, that would be like a balmy day at this time of year. We got some snow, and I saw a couple of my neighbors shoveling their driveways. I live on the sunny side of the street and just let nature take care of the snow.

[JustAnotherGen]

22. I'm in central NJ now

I did not leave Rochester for this shit! I know it's only going to be a day or two here but - I'm not used to waking up to 1 degrees in the morning anymore.

[Rorey]

25. I've gotten very intolerant in the decades I've lived here

We went to ND in January one year and I swear my bones froze. I was chilled the entire week we were gone. I can't remember what the reason was that we went there at that time of year, but it must have been damned important.

Hang in there! Try to stay warm.

[NurseJackie]

26. :-D

[JustAnotherGen]

31. Best part of the movie

My mom doesn't get the joke!

[Bettie]

30. Yep. I remember that!

Scarf would be fully iced up by the time we got to school and even with two pair of mittens hands would be near frozen.

[cwydro]

14. Lol!

I wonder what they do in Siberia?

No breathing or talking through the winters?

[fierywoman]

29. Lots of vodka!

[lunatica]

2. Be sure your doctor goes to work!

[fleabiscuit]

3. Good call.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

4. yeah, worth a call beforehand

[LongtimeAZDem]

5. This is why we put up with 120 degree summers

[Hortensis]

13. Also potentially killer, though. On the plus side, no

ice to walk or drive on or snow to shovel. On the minus side, besides wondering how long before the deaths began if Russia or NK took down electricity (air conditioning!), a whole bunch of new diseases.

I'm writing from midway down the Florida peninsula, though, from a patio lounger looking out over the water. There ARE reasons we put our lives on the line this way.

Take care and enjoy, Jodymarie. 50 years later I still remember going for a walk in the crystalline, sparkling air at -15 in Moses Lake, WA. Wow!

[leftynyc]

15. I'd rather deal with the cold

I went to Arizona State and did love the state and the warm but missed seasons, even winter. Tomorrow I get to try out my new warm waterproof boots. Summer was simply too brutal and went on far too long in AZ.

[crazycatlady]

24. I'd rather deal with the cold

You can always put on more clothes. There's only so much you can take off.

[LongtimeAZDem]

33. It's uncomfortable, but if you have water, you can survive sitting in 120 heat

50 below will kill you. Quickly.

Heat may cause power overloads, but it doesn't collapse the power lines, and the roads don't get so slippery that people crash into each other.

[Cracklin Charlie]

6. Stay safe.

It’s only around zero here. I did hear a funny thing on teevee about six this morning.

The governor of Georgia closed state offices already because it’s gonna get cold!

[Ellipsis]

9. Your physician most likely won't be there. Stay home.

You're in the great outwash plain.

Between blowing snow and windchill, it's going to be beyond wicked.

Were due tomorrow am to be -37° WITHOUT WINDCHILL.

If something happens along the way or on way the home, you'll become and emergency and resources perhaps better spent will committed to you.

I'm all for going out challenging nature and "bucking drifts" in harsh weather but equipment could fail tomorrow, especially in the am.

Reschedule.

[jodymarie aimee]

17. she and I were both there Monday and it was minus 27

I have to go every other day...no monkeying around..it is too important...

[Ellipsis]

21. I'm picking up what your putting down...

Take your car for a walk tonight before you go to bed. So the engines warm. Make sure the roads are clear in the morning.

You have a good sherrifs department. Dont be afraid to rely on them.

Safe journey.

[Ms. Toad]

23. Is there a hotel adjacent her offices?

If so, it might be worth staying overnight there.

[SDJay]

10. This Is Why

I left Wisconsin for San Diego. I'm not going to live anywhere where weather can kill you.

Stay safe, folks. My family members are all prepared to hunker down inside and ride this horrible freeze out.

[nolabear]

11. And take off your jewelry!

First time I went to Pittsburgh it was way below zero and I discovered your earrings could actually cold-burn your flesh.

[2naSalit]

16. +1!

[mokawanis]

12. I'm also in WI

stocked up on groceries yesterday. Today the snowplow came by and plowed about 50 tons of snow onto the end of my driveway which I had to shovel out. Hoping everyone stays safe the next couple of days. It's going to be tough.

[Poiuyt]

32. Driveway aprons are the worst!

Appleton here. The snowplow drivers are especially sadistic when the see an empty apron.

[2naSalit]

18. I've lived in the

northern Rockies for decades and the weather hitting the Midwest right now is normal at 7,000ft elev. from the snow and the cold. Stay warm and hydrated, especially if you do go out. Realize that anything you think is strong and unbreakable, will break at those temperatures, even think hardened steel.

Don't torture your car by trying to make it start, you will probably need to use HEET or something to keep your gas from turning to gel. If you have diesel and it's a dire emergency you can get away with using less than half a bottle of isopropyl but it's not recommended unless it's a life or death thing.

I have a snowmobile suit for cold days like that, good to -60F and a down filled hood with a snow ruff and still my eyebrow would get all frosty.

Hope everybody stays safe and warm!

[sarcasmo]

19. I'm in Sheboygan and thankfully have nothing scheduled until Thursday afternoon.

Stay warm and stay inside.

[FiveGoodMen]

27. Ha!

[akraven]

28. Alaskans have known this forever.

Use a good scarf and speak through it if you must talk outside. Try to breathe through your nose only (make sure the scarf covers it). Layers, layers layers!!!

Meanwhile in Fairbanks -

[crazycatlady]

34. that is a beautiful photo

I love wintery photos.