Sharks found dead along Cape Cod Bay from ‘cold shock’

Two thresher sharks were found washed up along Massachusetts’s Cape Cod Bay after being ‘stranded due to cold shock’ amid plunging temperatures in the northern United States this week.

A passerby walking along the bay early Wednesday came across a shocking sight and snapped some photos.

James Mullin initially saw one lifeless shark and immediately contacted the Center of Coastal Studies in Provincetown, according to the Cape Cod Times, who spoke with Mullin, who described the finding as ‘exciting’.

Officials at the center went to investigate the incident after, when they found another dead shark nearby. Both of them were male.

The conservancy group said on Facebook the sharks were dissected and are now being further examined through organ and tissue samples. 

The arctic blast that’s bringing negative temperatures to several other northern states is causing waterfalls to freeze, windows to crack and people to suffer life-threatening frostbite with just 30 minutes of exposure outside.

Forecasters are warning for those who are outside to bundle up with layers to protect against hypothermia and frostbite that could happen with exposure in the bitter arctic.

Male thresher sharks were found washed up along Massachusetts’s Cape Cod Bay after being ‘stranded due to cold shock’ amid plunging temperatures in the northern United States this week

The conservancy group said on Facebook the sharks were dissected and will be further examined by organ and tissue samples

The conservancy group said on Facebook the sharks were dissected and will be further examined by organ and tissue samples

Passerby James Mullin initially saw one lifeless shark and immediately contacted the Center of Coastal Studies in Provincetown Wednesday

Passerby James Mullin initially saw one lifeless shark and immediately contacted the Center of Coastal Studies in Provincetown Wednesday

The icy cold weather has turned the Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota into a beautiful frozen wonderland. The popular attraction has completely frozen over due to the super cold single-digit temperatures that have gripped the state over the past few days.  

The Minnehaha Creek flows from Lake Minnetonka, which is the biggest lake in the Twin Cities, to the Mississippi River. The falls are just a few miles from where the creek enters the Mississippi River.

The National Weather Service reported International Falls, Minnesota, the self-proclaimed Icebox of the Nation, plunged to 37 degrees below zero, breaking the old record of 32 below set in 1924. 

Hibbing, Minnesota, bottomed out at 28 below, breaking the old record of 27 below set in 1964.

‘Bitterly cold arctic air will settle in across a large swath of the U.S. as we turn the calendar from 2017 to 2018,’ said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.   

 

The arctic blast that's bringing negative temperatures to several states across the northern U.S. is causing waterfalls to freeze, windows to crack and people to suffer life-threatening frostbite with just 30 minutes of exposure outside. Above the frozen Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota are pictured on Thursday

The arctic blast that’s bringing negative temperatures to several states across the northern U.S. is causing waterfalls to freeze, windows to crack and people to suffer life-threatening frostbite with just 30 minutes of exposure outside. Above the frozen Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota are pictured on Thursday

The popular attraction has completely frozen over due to the super cold single-digit temperatures that have gripped the state over the past few days

The popular attraction has completely frozen over due to the super cold single-digit temperatures that have gripped the state over the past few days

The Minnehaha Creek flows from Lake Minnetonka, which is the biggest lake in the Twin Cities, to the Mississippi River. The falls are just a few miles from where the creek enters the Mississippi River

The Minnehaha Creek flows from Lake Minnetonka, which is the biggest lake in the Twin Cities, to the Mississippi River. The falls are just a few miles from where the creek enters the Mississippi River

With temperatures in the single digits, Ray Levesque, mate of the crab/lobster boat Bradbill, makes his way across the deck covered in ice to tie off, after arriving in New Bedford, Massachusetts harbor on Thursday from a one day fishing voyage

With temperatures in the single digits, Ray Levesque, mate of the crab/lobster boat Bradbill, makes his way across the deck covered in ice to tie off, after arriving in New Bedford, Massachusetts harbor on Thursday from a one day fishing voyage

A woman braves temperatures in the teens as she makes her way to the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in DC on Thursday

A woman braves temperatures in the teens as she makes her way to the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in DC on Thursday

Bitter cold weather has taken hold of much of the northern United States and is expected to stay put for days to come into the New Year. A far-reaching arctic blast is going to make the temperatures drop even more 

Bitter cold weather has taken hold of much of the northern United States and is expected to stay put for days to come into the New Year. A far-reaching arctic blast is going to make the temperatures drop even more 

The cold weather is going to dominate for days into New Year's Eve as it is predicted to feel like negative 8 degrees in Chicago, negative five degrees in New York and a freezing negative 35 degrees in Bangor, Maine

The cold weather is going to dominate for days into New Year’s Eve as it is predicted to feel like negative 8 degrees in Chicago, negative five degrees in New York and a freezing negative 35 degrees in Bangor, Maine

  • Forecasters predict freezing temperatures for much of the Northeast and Midwest into the New Year
  • New Year’s Eve temperatures are predicted to be to be around 12 degrees in the Big Apple, but it will feel dramatically colder due to the wind chill
  • The Great Lakes may get 1-3 inches of snow creating slippery travel in the Interstate 70, 80 and 90 corridors of the Plains and Midwest
  • Meteorologists are also cautioning a possible snow threat for the Northeast region over New Year’s weekend
  • If two storms merge, Philadelphia to New York City to Boston and Portland, Maine will see snow Friday to Saturday 
  • There is an ice threat for coastal cities in Georgia and South Carolina on Thursday to early Friday 
  • It’s so cold officials in New Jersey canceled a New Year’s Day ‘polar bear plunge’ in which swimmers dash into the Atlantic Ocean

‘People will really need to bundle up if they are heading out Sunday night for New Year’s Eve celebrations in places like Chicago, for example, where the high will be 15 F on Sunday, around 15 degrees below normal.’ 

In addition, the dangerously cold weather has caused windows in Canada to crack. Wind chill advisories or warnings were in effect for much of New England, northern Pennsylvania and New York. 

Those places and states in the northern Plains and Great Lakes were projected to see highs in the teens or single digits and lows below zero for the rest of the week and into the new year.

The National Weather Service said wind chills in many areas Thursday could make temperatures feel below zero. 

Prolonged, dangerous cold weather this week has sent advocates for the homeless scrambling to get people off the streets and to bring in extra beds for them. 

A dog has been found frozen solid on an Ohio home’s porch as a bitter cold snap grips much of the United States. 

Toledo humane society cruelty investigator Megan Brown tells The Blade newspaper she doesn’t know how long the dog was outside Thursday, when Toledo’s high temperature was expected to be in the teens.

A second dog was recovered shivering inside the home.

The dogs’ owner says utilities had been shut off but he had been providing for the dogs while living elsewhere. He says he doesn’t know how one dog got outside. 

Karlee Winter, left, 11, and her brother Samuel Espinoza, 8, shovel snow from their neighbor's sidewalk in Dubuque, Iowa, on Thursday

Karlee Winter, left, 11, and her brother Samuel Espinoza, 8, shovel snow from their neighbor’s sidewalk in Dubuque, Iowa, on Thursday

wo women take a selfie photo in front of a frozen fountain in New York City's Bryant Park on Thursday

wo women take a selfie photo in front of a frozen fountain in New York City’s Bryant Park on Thursday

People bundle up while walking through a frigid and super windy Manhattan on Thursday

People bundle up while walking through a frigid and super windy Manhattan on Thursday

A worker spreads de-icing granules on the walkway outside the New England Aquarium on Thursday

A worker spreads de-icing granules on the walkway outside the New England Aquarium on Thursday

People walk past a blue lobster ice sculpture outside the New England Aquarium as the temperature hovers in the low teens on Thursday

People walk past a blue lobster ice sculpture outside the New England Aquarium as the temperature hovers in the low teens on Thursday

The frigid weather isn't stopping the hustle and bustle in New York City. Above crowds walk through Times Square on Thursday 

The frigid weather isn’t stopping the hustle and bustle in New York City. Above crowds walk through Times Square on Thursday 

A delivery man in New York City (above) braved the cold temperatures outside by bundling up and covering his hands with bags while riding a bicycle.

A woman wore a ski mask while putting on several layers to go outside in the chilly weather in New York City Thursday (above)

A delivery man in New York City (left) braved the cold temperatures outside by bundling up and covering his hands with bags while riding a bicycle. A woman wore a ski mask while putting on several layers to go outside in the chilly weather in New York City Thursday (right)

Ana Gonzalez of New Haven, Connecticut, right, helps her sister Alejandrina Gonzalez, left, put on another scarf as they brave temperatures in the teens on the National Mall in DC on Thursday

Ana Gonzalez of New Haven, Connecticut, right, helps her sister Alejandrina Gonzalez, left, put on another scarf as they brave temperatures in the teens on the National Mall in DC on Thursday

Visitors to the Washington Monument on the National Mall brave temperatures in the teens on Thursday in DC

Visitors to the Washington Monument on the National Mall brave temperatures in the teens on Thursday in DC

A woman holds her face while braving the freezing temperatures in DC on Thursday 

A woman holds her face while braving the freezing temperatures in DC on Thursday 

The jet-stream pattern responsible for the cold outbreak across the Plains, Rockies and Midwest, featuring the "omega block" is surging northward from the Pacific Ocean into the Arctic Ocean, and the downstream nose-diving jet into the central U.S., according to The Weather Channel

The jet-stream pattern responsible for the cold outbreak across the Plains, Rockies and Midwest, featuring the ‘omega block’ is surging northward from the Pacific Ocean into the Arctic Ocean, and the downstream nose-diving jet into the central U.S., according to The Weather Channel

A persistent northward bulge in the jet stream over the Southwest has led to an extended dry period for the region, according to The Weather Channel

A persistent northward bulge in the jet stream over the Southwest has led to an extended dry period for the region, according to The Weather Channel

New Year's Eve in Times Square, New York will feel like negative five degrees with 10 to 20mph winds on Sunday night

New Year’s Eve in Times Square, New York will feel like negative five degrees with 10 to 20mph winds on Sunday night

Frozen pipes and dead car batteries added to the misery across the Midwest and Northeast regions. 

It’s so cold, officials in New Jersey canceled a New Year’s Day ‘polar bear plunge’ in which swimmers dash into the Atlantic Ocean. 

People in Erie, Pennsylvania, continued to dig out from a storm that brought 34 inches of snow on Christmas Day, smashing the daily snowfall record for the Great Lakes city of 8 inches, and 26.5 more inches on Tuesday.     

More than 65 inches total fell on the city in just a few days.

Strong westerly winds over Lake Erie picked up moisture, developed into snow and converged with opposing winds, dumping snow in a band along the shore from Ohio to New York, said Zach Sefcovic, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Cleveland. 

Sabrina Ram drove into Erie on Christmas Eve to visit her parents just as the snow began to fall.  

Ram, who lives in suburban Washington, D.C., and her father spent five hours on Christmas and two hours on Tuesday clearing the driveway.

‘In D.C., we’d be out of commission for weeks,’ Ram said. ‘Things here are pretty much back to normal now.’ 

The snow is predicted to spread on Thursday causing slippery travel and possible flight delays in Chicago and Pittsburgh

The snow is predicted to spread on Thursday causing slippery travel and possible flight delays in Chicago and Pittsburgh

Disruptive snow is predicted on Friday and into Friday night in the Midwest making travel delays even worse 

Disruptive snow is predicted on Friday and into Friday night in the Midwest making travel delays even worse 

There is also a hazardous ice threat in place for Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina for Thursday night

There is also a hazardous ice threat in place for Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina for Thursday night

There is a snow threat from Friday to Saturday with two storms that could possibly merge

There is a snow threat from Friday to Saturday with two storms that could possibly merge

Wind chill advisories or warnings are in effect for much of New England, northern Pennsylvania and New York along with several states in the Midwest

Wind chill advisories or warnings are in effect for much of New England, northern Pennsylvania and New York along with several states in the Midwest

Much of the Northeast and Midwest are experiencing freezing temperatures Thursday morning

Much of the Northeast and Midwest are experiencing freezing temperatures Thursday morning

There are some rain showers in the Southern states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama

There are some rain showers in the Southern states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama

Meanwhile, much of the Northern part of the country is covered in at least an inch of snow

Meanwhile, much of the Northern part of the country is covered in at least an inch of snow

Several north eastern states are under wind chill advisories or warnings. The hazardous winds will make temperatures feel like negative 10 to negative 40 degrees in some areas 

Several north eastern states are under wind chill advisories or warnings. The hazardous winds will make temperatures feel like negative 10 to negative 40 degrees in some areas 

The forecast highs are pictured above for New Year's Weekend across the Northern and Midwest parts of the U.S. 

The forecast highs are pictured above for New Year’s Weekend across the Northern and Midwest parts of the U.S. 

The forecast lows are pictured above for New Year's Weekend across the Northern and Midwest parts of the U.S.

The forecast lows are pictured above for New Year’s Weekend across the Northern and Midwest parts of the U.S.

In New York, communities near Lake Ontario’s eastern end, including Redfield and Boylston, also saw around 5 feet of snow this week. 

Listed above are the coldest New Year's Eve ball drops in New York City from 1917 up until 2008

Listed above are the coldest New Year’s Eve ball drops in New York City from 1917 up until 2008

Officials said the storm’s timing was good, since people were off the streets and staying home for Christmas, giving plows more space to clear streets.

By Wednesday, Erie’s roads were relatively clear, emergency calls were relatively slow and the big task was digging out, County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper said.

‘We’re used to a lot of snow here in Erie, but this is unprecedented, the amount we got,’ Dahlkemper said.  

The Department of Energy has projected energy fuel costs are going to track upward. That falls on the heels of two winters when costs were relatively low. 

Elizabeth Parker, 88, of Sanford, Maine, said she lives in fear of running out of fuel and remains vigilant in monitoring the gauge outside her trailer, just in case, especially during cold weather.

She said she is allowed to request a fuel delivery thanks to federal aid – but only when her gauge dips to one-eighth of a tank.

‘I couldn’t get along without it,’ said Parker, who lives with her 93-year-old husband, Robert, along with a cat, dog and four birds. 

Mark Wolfe, an official with the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, said the good news is that President Donald Trump has released 90 percent of the energy assistance funding which totals to nearly $3billion. Trump previously tried to eliminate the program altogether. 

Forecasters warned of hypothermia and frostbite from arctic air settling in over the central U.S. and spreading east. Above people cross the street in downtown Boston on Thursday morning in freezing single-digit temperatures 

Forecasters warned of hypothermia and frostbite from arctic air settling in over the central U.S. and spreading east. Above people cross the street in downtown Boston on Thursday morning in freezing single-digit temperatures 

The National Weather Service said there's the potential for record-breaking cold this week in New England. Above a man walks in the snow in downtown Boston on Thursday morning

The National Weather Service said there’s the potential for record-breaking cold this week in New England. Above a man walks in the snow in downtown Boston on Thursday morning

The frigid temperatures in New York City aren't stopping people from going outside and braving the cold snap

The frigid temperatures in New York City aren’t stopping people from going outside and braving the cold snap

New York City Police Officers are patrolling the streets of the city in the freezing temperatures 

New York City Police Officers are patrolling the streets of the city in the freezing temperatures 

States in the northern Plains and Great Lakes were projected to see highs in the teens or single digits and lows below zero for the rest of the week and into the new year. Above a man walks along the Chicago River

States in the northern Plains and Great Lakes were projected to see highs in the teens or single digits and lows below zero for the rest of the week and into the new year. Above a man walks along the Chicago River

But projected energy cost increases will effectively reduce the purchasing power by $330 million, making it imperative that the remaining funding be released, said Mark Wolfe, of the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association.

This winter, energy costs were projected to grow by 12 percent for natural gas, 17 percent for home heating oil, 18 percent for propane and 8 percent for electricity, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration.

But energy prices this winter may even be higher than those projections. 

According to Wolfe, colder weather could lead to even higher levels of consumption, and resulting prices could push the cost of winter heating up to $1,800 this winter for those using heating oil, 45 percent more than last year’s level.

‘That’s a scary situation for people who’re really struggling to heat their homes,’ said Barbara Crider, of Maine’s York County Community Action Agency.

The cold air is lingering with more arctic air sweeping into the region, reaching as far south as Texas and the Florida Panhandle through the weekend.    

PANCAKE ICE FORMS ON CHICAGO’S LAKE MICHIGAN AFTER SUB-ZERO ARCTIC BLATS HITS THE MIDWEST

The Windy City might be known for its deep dish pizza, but an usual and different kind of circular-shaped phenomenon is currently taking over Lake Michigan. 

The so-called ‘snow pancakes’ or circular ice sheets have started appearing along the shore of Chicago’s iconic lake.

The lily pad-shaped ice forms first began appearing this week in a secluded bay near North Avenue Beach in the popular city that’s currently experiencing sub-zero temperatures thanks to an arctic cold blast.

Captivating photos and videos of the lake show hundreds of rounded ice shapes that resemble flat pancakes across the water.  

'Snow pancakes' or circular ice sheets have started appearing along the shore of Chicago's iconic lake Captivating photos and videos of the lake show hundreds of rounded ice shapes that resemble flat pancakes across the water. Experts say they're formed when sections of ice collide, their edges become rounded and raised

‘Snow pancakes’ or circular ice sheets have started appearing along the shore of Chicago’s iconic lake Captivating photos and videos of the lake show hundreds of rounded ice shapes that resemble flat pancakes across the water. Experts say they’re formed when sections of ice collide, their edges become rounded and raised

The lily pad-shaped ice forms first began appearing this week in a secluded bay near North Avenue Beach in the popular city that's currently experiencing sub-zero temperatures thanks to an arctic cold blast

The lily pad-shaped ice forms first began appearing this week in a secluded bay near North Avenue Beach in the popular city that’s currently experiencing sub-zero temperatures thanks to an arctic cold blast

It doesn't look like the ice pancakes will disappear anytime soon as the frigid temperatures in Chicago are expected to last through the New Year and possibly longer. The Midwest and Northeast are experiencing bitterly cold temperatures with sub-zero arctic air and dangerously cold wind chills 

It doesn’t look like the ice pancakes will disappear anytime soon as the frigid temperatures in Chicago are expected to last through the New Year and possibly longer. The Midwest and Northeast are experiencing bitterly cold temperatures with sub-zero arctic air and dangerously cold wind chills 

Experts say they’re formed when sections of ice collide, their edges become rounded and raised. 

The cool result of the contact is ice rounded into the shape of pancakes or lily pads.

They often meld together to form a sheet of ice pancakes, which is what appears to have happened in Chicago. 

This feature is most common in the frigidly cold oceans around the world such as the Baltic Sea and Antarctica. 

If the ice is thick enough, and the water is rough enough, the ice can fracture and bend to pile up on itself forming what are known as ice ridges, according to National Geographic.    

Other parts of the lake are also experiencing weird softball-sized ice shapes form in the water

Other parts of the lake are also experiencing weird softball-sized ice shapes form in the water

The brutal cold front is currently clobbering several states with many of the temperatures only reaching a high in the 20s and lows in the single digits well below the freezing point. Above the icy shoreline at North Avenue Beach is pictured on Wednesday

The brutal cold front is currently clobbering several states with many of the temperatures only reaching a high in the 20s and lows in the single digits well below the freezing point. Above the icy shoreline at North Avenue Beach is pictured on Wednesday

It doesn’t look like the ice pancakes will disappear anytime soon as the frigid temperatures in Chicago are expected to last through the New Year and possibly longer. 

The high for Wednesday in the Windy City was 9 degrees Fahrenheit, and it will drop to a low of five degrees when the sun goes down at night. 

The Midwest and Northeast are experiencing bitterly cold temperatures with sub-zero arctic air and dangerously cold wind chills.  

The brutal cold front is currently clobbering several states with many of the temperatures only reaching a high in the 20s and lows in the single digits well below the freezing point.

Wind chill advisories or warnings are in effect for all of North Dakota and Wisconsin, as well as swaths of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois Michigan and Indiana.

In addition, wind chill advisories are also in effect for parts of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. 

For revelers hitting the town on New Year’s Eve in Chicago, the temperature during the day will be a high of 17 degrees with a low of negative three when the clock strikes 12 ushering in 2018. 



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