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Brrr....Watertown residents experience record low temperatures

Brian Hoffman
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via Flickr

Watertown was the coldest place in the lower 48 states yesterday, reaching -36 degrees on President’s Day morning. 

But around lunch time it had warmed up to a balmy -3 degrees.  It’s the kind of temperature that car engines hate. Still, people were driving around in their cars. But a few brave souls were out on foot.

Diane Layne was bundled up with a hat and a scarf wrapped around her face. Her eyes were watering because of the cold. How was she coping?

“Not well because I’m from California … I want to go home!”  Layne said.

She said she just moved here in November. This year is her first year seeing snow.

"Yes, I do need warm clothes but..I’m managing. I’m layering.”

Andre Tillman was walking to a friend’s house. He’s not from around here either.

“I just came up here from Virginia. It was 63 degrees there when I left," said Tillman.

Credit Julia Botero / WRVO News
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WRVO News
The temperature early Monday morning in Watertown.

He says he’s been thinking of moving up here but is having second thoughts because of the cold. Samantha Freeman delivers pizzas for Cam’s Pizzeria. She says she will do about 15 deliveries a night so she really has to bundle up when she heads out there.

“I bought myself a nice new car. It has heated seats and a heated steering wheel. So its kinda nice when I go out there and delivery. Much better then when I had my little Honda civic,” said Freeman.

Of course there were the locals who didn’t seem to mind the cold too much.

Bill Boyenski has lived in Watertown all his life. He was at work at Price Chopper bringing in the shopping carts from the parking lot.

“I’m doing fine as long as you’re dressed for it, you got it made. No big deal,” said Boyenski.