Frigid Temperatures, Wind Chills Settle On Tri-State Area
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Break out the heavy coats and thermal socks -- the coldest air mass of the season has invaded the Tri-State area, and it has brought wind chills that make it feel as if it were near zero degrees.
As of 11 p.m., the temperature at Central Park was 15 degrees and felt like 3 degrees. By midnight, the temperature was expected to drop further to 12 degrees, with a wind chill making it feel like 3 degrees below zero.
It was all a far cry from the record 72 degrees the area saw just 11 days ago.
Many people who work outside bundled up before completing their pickups and deliveries -- but not everyone.
"We're always hot, and we're always working, moving and grooving, so we wear shorts behind the counter but I'm bundled up here and I'm warm-blooded so I'm good," Giovanni Ruffolo, of Pelham Pizzeria, told CBS2's Elise Finch.
We all knew typical winter weather would show up eventually, but some people said they were caught off guard by today's frigid temperatures.
"I just had this scarf I need to get hats, gloves all that kind of stuff," said Arlena Myers of Pelham.
Now, people are stocking up on all kinds of cold weather accessories, bringing business to local shop owners.
"People are finally buying ice melter and cold winter supplies and that kind of stuff and it's great," said Bill Weinblatt of Wise Hardware.
"We do better when it's cold, last year was a great year for snow boots and hats and gloves and all that stuff, you know, you sold out pretty much everything you owned," Mark Epstein, of Epstein's Dry Goods, said. We don't expect that this year."
This winter's El Nino weather pattern should result in warmer-than-average temperatures, so bitter blasts like this will probably be short-lived.
Temperatures were dropping down to the teens and below late Monday, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo's executive order requiring homeless people to be removed from the streets in such conditions was set to go into effect.
The extreme cold was also a concern for the city's homeless, particularly given
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's executive order requiring homeless people statewide to be removed from the streets and brought to shelters in freezing weather.
The order was set to take effect at midnight Tuesday morning.
Cuomo said the order will protect the state's growing homeless population and people from hypothermia and potential death. The governor said it also requires homeless shelters to extend hours if necessary.
But some of the homeless said they thought shelters were dangerous they would stay put.
"I have on a sweater; a layer dress, and I'm not cold at all," said Jeanne Oneal, who is homeless.
