Subzero

The National Weather Service has this to say about metro Chicago this evening: "Bitterly cold. Mostly clear. Lows 10 to 15 degrees below zero outlying areas to around 5 below zero downtown. Wind chills dropping to as low as 30 below to 35 below zero. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph."

A very, very localized weather report tonight would say: "Distinctly cool downstairs after you turn the thermostat down to 60. Much warmer upstairs, since heat rises, and the heater is on almost constantly. If the thermostat is set at 68 or even 65 while the temps are below zero outside, it feels like 75 upstairs, though there's been no actual measurement. Too warm for blankets in any case. At 60 downstairs, it's perhaps 68 upstairs, not bad for sleeping under a blanket. No wind, so no wind chill."

Long-term forecast: this awful February blast is going to drive natural gas bills up, up. up.

Chicago might be Mudville tonight, for there's no joy here, but the mud has frozen. I wouldn't have a lot of interest in going to the Super Bowl, but I sure wouldn't have minded going to Miami this weekend. Except maybe no hotel rooms would have been available. Key West, then.