This morning’s bright sunshine on the dusting of snow while beautiful, is deceiving. The temperature at 9 a.m. in Gloucester MA was only 4º! Todays weather forecast predicts a high of 18º.
‘Polar Vortex.’ The National Weather service describes this as “a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles. It ALWAYS exists near the poles, but weakens in summer and strengthens in winter.”
The Bright Side. I actually feel lucky, considering what parts of the midwest are enduring – dangerously cold temperatures of subzero, up to 40º below zero with the wind chill factor in some areas. Many businesses and schools there are closed. At 40º, exposed skin can suffer frost bite within 5 minutes of exposure.
Check on Elderly Family and Neighbors. Being outside or even in a cold house can lead to hypothermia, a body temperature of 95°F or lower. Hypothermia can cause many health problems, such as a heart attack, kidney problems, liver disease or even death. Cold weather extremes are especially detrimental for children, the elderly and anyone with cardiac and pulmonary disease. If you have underlying health issues, talk to your doctor about winter safety. Here are steps to lower your chance of getting hypothermia from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.” — Mark Twain
My Weather Prediction – More snow to come. 🙂 Here are some safety tips for shoveling and safe snow blowing for the next snow storm. I recommend ‘call ahead’ for snow plowing. Otherwise, in my experience, by the time the snow storm arrives, they might be fully booked.
Winter Safety Tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help keep you safe in these extreme weather conditions.
Traveling in Winter. If you do have to get out in the cold or travel, stay safe and warm! Here are some Tips for Traveling in Cold Weather.
Today is a good day to stay indoors and relax with a cup of tea.
INAMOTO Hyakuten Sensei, founder of Komyo Reiki from Kyoto Japan teaches, “A cup of tea. A cup of enlightenment.” Meaning, while sitting drinking a cup of tea, we typically experience satori (inner peace) in this moment, by simply sitting and enjoying a cup of tea. An aspect of mindfulness. Mindfulness is “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally, ” says John Kabat-Zinn, founding Executive Director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts (U Mass) Medical School and founding director of its renowned Stress Reduction Clinic and Professor of Medicine emeritus at U Mass.
‘Be Here, Now.’ Experience peace, in this moment. If you can, consider taking extreme winter weather days off and make some time to relax and mediate, and enjoy a cup of tea.
The Good News– Spring is only 48 days away!
~ Karen Pischke
Sources and More Information:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Safety Council
- National Weather Service
- Weather Underground
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