November 28, 2005.

Yankton, South Dakota.

Photographer states: Blizzard on the plains--we're grateful for the sun this morning after a blizzard and a lenghty power outage. It was getting a little chilly!

This is exactly what I was concerned with as early as last year. This is the resident of this house working outside to 'dig out.' He has built an outside fire to keep warm while he was working in the yard.

There is also a reference by the photographer that the house was getting a little chilly.

These are not 'lake effect snow storms.' They are however glacial storms with very, very frigid aire. The longer a 'cold' temperature to this extent remains on a house the more the house will get colder and colder and more difficult to heat. This weather is very, very dangerous. The governor of the northern states need to rethink their strategy for sustained cold temperatures especially with their residents in rural areas with little to no access to help.

My first thoughts are to have 'snow mobile' patrols ready to react to residents in distress. It is advisable for residents to have 'radio access' in their homes should their phones fail. There is a chance cell phones will operate no matter the weather, however, the emergency citizen radio band is a guarantee to reach the outside world.