It's cold out there, if you hadn't noticed. And when it's cold, we'll forgive our radiator for the 6 a.m. wake-up call because we're just thankful the heat is on. But for many people across the city that's not the case, and City Council wants to do something about it. In new legislation debated by the Council yesterday, landlords would be fined up to $500 per day they don't provide adequate heat and hot water, and up to $1000 for subsequent violations. more ›

According to WCBS 2, we'll be experiencing the coldest day and night of the winter today! "New York City will have a high of 25 degrees—13 below the average—and has already seen its low Sunday morning at 16 degrees. Meanwhile, a frigid arctic wind is keeping temperatures anywhere from below 0 to single digits and into the teens as the Tri-State bundles up for the cold. The wind chill will be -10 to -20 in parts of the upstate while the Tri-State will feel a wind chill anywhere from 0 to -10 degrees." And tomorrow morning may be in the single digits! more ›

After a long day bracing yourself from the wind and layering up until you can barely move, isn't it nice to come home to a warm apartment and melt next to your radiator? Not anymore! The Times is calling the newest trend of the season: voluntarily going without heat. It turns out that plenty of New Yorkers have decided to keep their layers on all winter... without even the prompt of a double-dog dare. more ›

More ammo for American climate change illiterates: weather experts say this may be the coldest NYC winter in almost 30 years. "It'll be like the great winters of the '60s and '70s," meteorologist Joe Bastardi told the Daily News. Great. Exactly. more ›

According to a recent survey, 50% of the workforce says their working environment is too cold or too hot, with 1/3 saying the uncontrollable climate makes it hard to concentrate. more ›

Yesterday, temperatures dropped to 5 degrees, prompting the Post to proclaim, "New York City is in a Siberian freeze," and break out the Atlas, noting that the temperature was "icier than those recorded in typically frozen cities such as Anchorage, Moscow and even the Siberian town of Irkutsk." WCBS 880 has tips for various issues that can come up during the cold weather, from hypothermia to cracked lips. The Office of Emergency Management has tips for staying warm inside and out (wear layers; get back inside soon!)—and don't forget about keeping your your four-legged friends warm. Consider rubber-soled booties to protect your dogs' paws from the cold and chemicals used to melt ice as well as getting a sweater or jacket for them. more ›

As forecasts predicted, winter is . There's a winter weather advisory in effect until 2 p.m., with 1-3 inches of snow expected in NYC, and more outside, with concerns of sleet and freezing rain. But there's also warning about the absolutely frigid temperatures: WCBS 2 explains, "The Northeast will feel the full wrath of the [Arctic blast] Thursday as temperatures struggle to reach double digits." And the wind chill values will be zero or below zero. Bundle up, and don't hesitate if your apartment has no heat—Mayor Bloomberg said, "Pick up the phone, call 311. We will get the landlord to fix it or we will do it ourselves. You should not have to suffer and incidently this cold wave is going to be a dangerous one. It is going to be very cold so it's not just that you're gonna be inconvenienced, your health may very well be at risk. so call 311." more ›

Yesterday afternoon, as the air temperature was around the 20-degree mark, the Polar Bear Club celebrated New Year's Day in their traditional style: in the freezing cold waters off Coney Island. TIME Magazine takes a look at the tradition and talked to the club's head honcho. They note that the annual plunge has been going on since 1903, and that this year, nearly 700 were expected to take a dip while thousands watched from land. more ›