So, my post from yesterday suggesting that wind chill is a matter of perspective was perhaps not well received by some. In particular, it appears to have not been received at all well by the local weather gods who are blessing Ottawa with the following bit of weather:

3:14 PM EST Thursday 19 February 2015
Extreme Cold Warning in effect for:

• Ottawa North – Kanata – Orléans
• Ottawa South – Richmond – Metcalfe

A prolonged period of very cold wind chills is expected.

Bitterly cold arctic air has once again returned to Southern Ontario. Strong northwest winds will combine with the frigid temperatures to produce wind chill values of minus 35 to minus 40 tonight into Friday morning. Wind chills will slowly improve by Friday afternoon as temperatures slowly rise.

warnings about frostbite, et cetera…

Meanwhile, in Florida (the state I may have smirked at in the aforementioned post):

ORANGE-SEMINOLE-SOUTHERN BREVARD COUNTY-OSCEOLA-INDIAN RIVER-
OKEECHOBEE-ST. LUCIE-MARTIN-NORTHERN BREVARD COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ORLANDO...ALTAMONTE SPRINGS...SANFORD...
WINTER SPRINGS...OVIEDO...CASSELBERRY...LONGWOOD...GOLDENROD...
PALM BAY...MELBOURNE...ROCKLEDGE...KISSIMMEE...YEEHAW JUNCTION...
VERO BEACH SOUTH...VERO BEACH...GIFFORD...OKEECHOBEE...
TAYLOR CREEK...FORT PIERCE...LAKEWOOD PARK...PALM CITY...STUART...
HOBE SOUND...JENSEN BEACH...PORT SALERNO...INDIANTOWN...
TITUSVILLE...COCOA
645 PM EST THU FEB 19 2015

...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM
EST FRIDAY...

* TEMPERATURE...LOW TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO FALL BELOW
  FREEZING EXCEPT ALONG THE BARRIER ISLANDS AND THE EASTERN
  PORTIONS OF MAINLAND MARTIN COUNTY. DURATION OF FREEZING
  TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM 2 TO 4 HOURS. TRADITIONALLY
  COLDER SPOTS OVER THE INTERIOR WILL SEE COLDER READINGS IN THE
  UPPER 20S FOR 1 TO 3 HOURS JUST BEFORE DAYBREAK FRIDAY.

* IMPACTS...THIS HAS POTENTIAL TO BE A ECONOMICALLY DAMAGING
  EVENT FOR SELECT AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS. SMALL ANIMALS AND
  TENDER VEGETATION SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE COLDEST
  TEMPERATURES SO FAR THIS WINTER. THIS INCLUDES BRINGING SMALL
  PETS INDOORS AND COVERING SENSITIVE PLANTS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE IMMINENT OR
HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER
SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

A LAKE WIND ADVISORY INDICATES THAT WINDS WILL CAUSE ROUGH CHOP
ON AREA LAKES. SMALL BOATS WILL BE ESPECIALLY PRONE TO CAPSIZING.

Geez.

This atypical weather in Florida is almost certainly going to have a significant impact on the fruit crops such as oranges and strawberries, which are an important part of the economy in Florida.

My mom posted on Facebook yesterday evening that there were warnings on tv telling people how to safely operate their space heaters. I guess when you rarely have to use them, you may not be aware of how to use them safely, something that we in Canada take for granted.

Still, it’s bloody freezing cold out and the only respite in the near future seems to be a weekend of yet more completely unnecessary snow.

Sorry Ottawa. Sorry Florida. I’m sorry.