- Title: CUBA: Cold snap grips Cuba with near freezing temperatures
- Date: 17th December 2010
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (DECEMBER 16, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DAWN IN HAVANA / SKYLINE
- Embargoed: 1st January 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Cuba, Cuba
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA7MUAU0HT0AEXN8LHBFN5AEQYW
- Story Text: An Arctic wave has brought record cold weather to Cuba on Thursday (December 16) where residents used to mild winter temperatures bundled up using what they could find in their limited closets to confront lows as cold as 35 degrees Fahrenheit (1.9 degrees C.).
The cold front came down from a continental cold air mass that has dumped snow on much of the Midwest and eastern United States and brought ice alerts as far south as southern Florida where many schools were closed or had late starts due to the exceptional weather.
In Havana, residents wearing layers, coats and hats did their best to keep warm in the coldest weather recorded in 50 years.
"In my 65 years I have never felt such cold. It is too much," said professor, Graciela Palacios.
Surprisingly cold weather was registered in all 41 Cuban departments with mercury dropping furthest in Colon, 160 kilometres (100 miles) east of Havana, where a low of 35 degrees Fahrenheit (1.9 degrees Centigrade) was recorded overnight Wednesday (December 15).
"I'm like, I can hardly walk. My fingers are numb. I am going crazy with this temperature change," a state employee, Reina Diaz told Reuters in Havana.
In total 31 records were broken with 22 being records for the month of December and 9 being the coldest day ever recorded in cities including Santa Cruz, 39 F. (4.0 C.); Esmeralada 40 F. (4.5 C.) Veguitas, 45 F. (7.2 C.); Guaimaro, 46 F. (7.8 C.); and Manzanillo, 48 F. (8.8 C.); in the east; Cienfuegos, 40 F. (4.5 C.) in the south; and Sancti Spiritus, 42 F. (5.7 C.) centrally in the island nation.
"I've been to Germany and I have never felt such cold," said a retired military man, Sixto Jose Feo Aciego.
Cuba's coldest recorded temperature was on February 18, 1996 when the thermometer dipped to 33 degrees Fahrenheit (0.6 degrees Centigrade).
"As long as I can remember I have never witnessed such terrible cold. I hope itsoon because we are gonna be wiped out from all this cold," said restaurant worker, Gily Borroto.
State television reported the cold weather throughout the Caribbean nation on Wednesday (December 15), warning residents, unprepared for such cold weather, to bunker down for the cold snap on the tropical island. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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