CNN 2010-01-11

As you know, much of the nation including the south is still in the grips of an arctic¹ blast². Here is what we know at the time. Frigid³ temperatures blamed for at least seven deaths across the nation. But, today, snow is a real concern in several southern states, and behind that, icy precipitation. More cold temperatures with wind chills⁴ dropping to 15 below zero in areas of the southeast. It's such a foreign thought I could hardly say it. A light snow already falling in parts of Tennessee with another arctic blast expected to follow. That's the worst part of it.

Rob Marciano is braving those frigid temperatures with his very warm CNN jacket. He is joining us now live. Dare I ask how it feels out there, Rob?

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, this is Beil Street. That's the biggest truck I have seen in Memphis. Let alone any action on Beil Street this early in the morning. Baby Cain's place is right there. Kind of surreal to have snow falling here. I mean, it's not unheard of but certainly rare.

What's even more rare, Heidi, is the extended cold snap⁵ that not only Memphis is seeing, but, of course, much of the eastern two thirds is seeing across western parts of Tennessee. It's been so bad yesterday that the power company and the mayor got together, and said, you know, we need to do something about the people that don't have any power.

I mean, they set up warming huts and warming shelters. What about people that just sit in their homes and they don't have any power because they couldn't pay their bills. They went out and they turned on about half of the people that didn't have power, because they couldn't pay for it, and now they have power and heat at least for now until the temperatures warm up. And that's not going to happen until the beginning of next week.

The winds have changed. We're right about freezing earlier this morning. Now temperatures are dropping. The bigger story is not so much the little dusting of snow they got here, but the colder air, the second surge⁶ of colder air that's coming down. And it will -- in many cases down into the single numbers, maybe down near zero tomorrow and Saturday morning. So it’s certainly chilly⁷ down here in Memphis, Tennessee. A place you wouldn't think to see much snow flying around, but it's been occurring until the beginning of this decade. No doubt about that.

COLLINS: We have, for sure. All right, Rob, appreciate that. Thank you.
 

1 Arctic   

adj.北极的；n.北极

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• The sort of animal lived in the Arctic Circle.这种动物生活在北极圈里。

2 blast   

v.炸毁，摧毁；n.爆炸，爆破，一阵，汽笛声

参考例句：

• A huge bomb blast rocked central London last night.昨晚一次剧烈的炸弹爆炸震动了伦敦市中心。
• Not until last week was the project in full blast.工程直到上星期才全部开工。

3 frigid   

adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的

参考例句：

• The water was too frigid to allow him to remain submerged for long.水冰冷彻骨，他在下面呆不了太长时间。
• She returned his smile with a frigid glance.对他的微笑她报以冷冷的一瞥。

4 chills   

寒冷( chill的名词复数 )； 冷漠； 扫兴； [冶金学]激冷

参考例句：

• These evening damps and chills play Old Harry with one's bronchial tubes. 夜晚的湿气与寒冷对支气管有害。
• The bitter wind chills one to the bone. 寒风彻骨。

5 snap   

n.啪地移动，突然断掉；v.猛咬，咬断，谩骂，砰然关上

参考例句：

• He broke off the twig with a snap.他啪地一声把那根树枝折断了。
• These earrings snap on with special fasteners.这副耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。

6 surge   

n.汹涌，澎湃；vi.汹涌，强烈感到，飞涨；vt.放开，松手

参考例句：

• The surge travelled southwards along the coast.浪涛沿着海岸向南涌去。
• It failed to stimulate a surge of investment in industry.这没有能刺激工业投资的激增。

7 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。