Recording setting cold blast grips Bay area

The chill on Saturday set records for the lowest afternoon high temperatures in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota.

The lengthy stretch of cold weather going back to the first of the year has already broke the record in Tampa and tied the record in St. Petersburg for consecutive days when the afternoon high didn't reach 60.

It has not broken 60 degrees in Tampa or St. Petersburg since the new year started.

The run of eight consecutive days in Tampa broke the old mark of seven days set in January of 1956.
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Remote sensing stations in South Florida measured a number of locations that hit freezing, including North Miami Beach, making it the coldest morning there since 1989, the weather service said.

BBC News - Germany suffers more snow misery

More than 160 people were stranded in their vehicles overnight in Germany after heavy snowfall brought a motorway along the Baltic Coast to a standstill.

Rescue crews had to use snow ploughs to push through 2m (78in) drifts to free the travellers, among them 19 children.

Putnam prepares Request for Freeze Help for Florida

(This release in late Friday 1/8/10 from Florida Congressman Adam Putnam’s office in BARTOW, Fla.) – Congressman Adam Putnam today said he is preparing a letter from the Florida congressional delegation to urge prompt action from the federal government to help Florida agricultural growers recover from record cold weather.