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Post by Admin Tyler on Jan 28, 2006 13:05:17 GMT -5
HARSH WINTER WEATHER PLAGUES GREAT LAKES 21 Inches of Snow Reported in Chicago Alone
As the front moved across the Great Plains and onto the Great Lakes, lake effect snow began to dump massive amounts of snow onto the region. The area around the Great Lakes has experienced an unseasonably cold early December with temperatures reaching into the single digits throughout most of the past week. Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, and other cities along the lakes have experienced massive snowfall over the weekend; and city officials are busy trying to shovel out the region.
Further compounding the situation is the Iranian oil embargo which has just recently been initiated in response to US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites. Home heating oil prices are increasing rapidly in response to the incident, and many in the region are expected to have high bills this December following the massive cold spell the region is undergoing.
The post office also reports that it is experiencing significant delays in the region, and package delivery is taking longer than usual.
The weather has driven Holiday shopping sales down--this and because recent increases in inflation have had the combined effect of making consumers reluctant to venture the cold to acquire this year's hot (and expensive) holiday purchases.
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