Wintry weather around US brings fatalities, school closings

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By DAVE COLLINS

Dangerously cold air has sent temperatures plummeting into the single digits around the U.S., with wind chills driving them even lower.
Throw in the snow some areas are getting and you've got a bone chilling mix that may also be super messy.

The result?

School delays and cancellations, a fatal car pileup and worries about the homeless.

Here's a look at what's happening:
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FULL story at link.



In dangerously cold weather, Angelique Morillo of Kansas City, Kan., was bundled up while she waited Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, for a bus at 7th Street and Central Ave., in Kansas City, Kan. (AP Photo/The Kansas City Star, Tammy Ljungblad)



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150108/us--winter_weather-6786bd522d.html

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Omaha area schools were closed yesterday, but are open today.

[ColesCountyDem]

1. They've opened warming centers here, OS.

Our hospital is available as a 24-hour warming center, the DHS office is open 8-5 and all city and village halls are open during normal business hours.

[madokie]

2. 7 degrees this morning here

cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey

Subject: brass monkey

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters
carried iron cannons. Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls. It was
necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. But how to prevent them
from rolling about the deck?
The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one
ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen.
Thus, a supply of thirty cannon balls could be stacked in a small area
right next to the cannon.
There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from
sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate
called a "Monkey" with sixteen round indentations. But, if this plate
was made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution
to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys."
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much
faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped
too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon
balls would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally,
"Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey!"

[Paulie]

4. Thanks!

Never know when knowledge like this will come in handy.

[madokie]

5. and its disputed to not even be true

so there is that

[SansACause]

6. That's a legend.

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq107.htm

[FrodosPet]

7. Any excuse to jam the Beastie Boys works for me

[sarge43]

3. Central NH - wind chill minus 30F

It's brutal.