THE RESIDENT swans of Lake Prior are toughing it out in sub zero temps, spending a lot of time curled in a ball with their beaks hidden under a wing. Most swans migrate for the winter, so this pair must not be impressed with the recent cold snap. The couple spends the coldest days close by their nesting area, where the water is also always thawed due to the artesian well.

Staying warm this week has been a challenge with the “polar vortex” we have been experiencing. Record low temperatures and windchills of -30º  to -40º F had the county in their grip from Sunday to Tuesday morning. Schools cancelled classes on Monday and started late on Tuesday due to the extreme cold.
It is hard to believe we actually had a daytime high of 35º on Friday because by Monday the mercury could only reach -3º F, recording our daytime low for the week. The week’s nighttime low occurred on both Thursday and Monday at -13º.
The forecast calls for a warm-up with more seasonable temperatures by the end of this week.