Winter Weather Outlook for Friday- (01/29/2004 11:56 AM) Schaumburg, IL * -7...7 F......................................................................................................................
*indicates severe weather alert
Watches and Warnings Schaumburg Forecast -----------------------------------------
...A WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST FRIDAYPARTLY CLOUDY SKIES ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MAINLY CLEAR OVERNIGHT.
THIS WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES OVER THE SNOW COVER TO DROP AS LOW AS 10
BELOW ZERO. THIS IN COMBINATION WITH WIND SPEEDS OF 10 TO 15 MPH WILL
PRODUCE WIND CHILL READINGS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY IN THE 20
TO 30 BELOW ZERO RANGE.
THE BITTER COLD AND WIND CAN FREEZE EXPOSED FLESH IN A MATTER
OF MINUTES...SO DRESS WARMLY. LAYERS OF PROTECTIVE CLOTHING ARE MORE
EFFECTIVE THAN A SINGLE LAYER OF THICK CLOTHING.
We're doing a pretty good job of getting the "record cold" people quite excited.
It's really terribly awful when one ventures outdoors right now.
The worst moments for me are during the long trek across the college campus after lap swimming.
After going straight from the shower to minus 10 degree weather, my nose and eyes run and the brittle cold feels as if it could snap me in two.
Complain as I do, I have the resources to keep me and my loved ones warm.
Right now there are hundreds if not thousands of people living within a 30 minute drive of here that have no heat in their homes. They fell behind in their electric or gas bill payments and snap, off went the juice. These people from the very young to the very old, may be inside their homes but they are dressed for the outdoors. The ones fortunate enough to have electricity will keep their ovens on, doors open and plug in their little death-trap space heaters.
The others will sit in the cold and dark. Some of them will freeze to death.
Tomorrow I will pick up the Tribune, turn to the Metro section and see the stories of people frozen to death in their homes. Because they couldn't pay a bill. Because the federal government continues to fob increasing responsibility for it's citizens on individual states, though from coast to coast, states show great variance in their ability to provide for the poor and the weak.
Living in the land of the free means many things. One is that you are free to suffer in your frigid home and sometimes freeze to death.
God Bless America and especially George Bush, for all that he does and will do "for" the poor.
I believe that there is a system of a appeal that one may go through so the heat will be kept on. Problem is, many of the elderly and poor are overwhelmed by their situations and they need a social service in place that checks to make sure that when someone's in danger of having their heat turned off, that they have access to some guidance in getting an extension/appeal.
Posted by: Cyn | January 30, 2004 at 09:00 PM
In NYC ConEdison is not allowed to turn off your power or heat if you are delinquent in your bill paying.
most housing here for renters, included heat and hot water.
Posted by: lakkris | January 30, 2004 at 12:38 PM