'Code Blue' in mid-Michigan
It was 19 degrees in these parts Monday morning - cold enough for the City of Lansing to activate its “Cold Blue” plan, which means that local shelters will stay open longer - for the homeless, I presume - and all residential electricity shut-offs will be postponed.
As far as I can tell, 19 degrees tied the previous Nov. 10 record set in 1906.
The sudden dramatic drop is a shock to the system. We say that our blood hasn’t had time to “thicken up” for winter. Technically, it’s a matter of blood flow; the brain sends more or less blood to the skin to lose, or conserve, heat in order to maintain core temperature.
It takes a body 10-20 days to become acclimated to consistently colder, or warmer, outdoor temperatures.
We won’t have time. The weekend is expected to bring highs in the 50s.
