Near-record cold temps already here

Temperatures hovered in the low 40s but a strong wind made it feel much frostier as the coolest air so far this season spread over the county Tuesday.

The chilly temperatures were only a foretaste of what was in store here Tuesday night with an overnight low of 23 — just two degrees from the record low of 21 set way back in 1901.

We can expect a chilly high of 47 today.

Upper level northwest winds were responsible for sending a cold Canadian air mass south, National Weather Service Meteorologist Larry Gabric said. The colder temps will be sticking around for a while as another cold air mass is scheduled to arrive later this week.

Temperatures will rise into the 50s on Thursday, but drop back to the 40s on Friday, Gabric said.

The chilly temps have sapped all of the moisture out of the air — meaning no white stuff on the ground for now.

"We are dry as a bone," Gabric said.

(Larry Hilliard)