The East Coast's Really Sick of Snow By Now

The much-anticipated Return of the Polar Vortex has hit the East Coast, and residents are not exactly giving the sequel rave reviews. Just two weeks after the polar vortex made its debut, its second appearance this week has dumped up to 18 inches of snow in the Northeast. More than 1,400 flights have been cancelled across the U.S. and transportation for locals is a nightmare with severe windchill and freezing winds.

Some residents of New Jersey woke up to 15.5 inches of snow this morning, while New Yorkers and Philadelphians are looking at a foot or more. The latter two cities, as well as Washington, D.C., all saw thermometers hovering between 9 and 12 degrees, with windchill at a chilly -7. Wind gusts are expected to top 33 mph in the Northeast.

"Considering these conditions, the commute is going to be very bad," said Weather Channel meteorologist Guy Walton.

Tuesday saw more than 3,000 flights cancelled across the U.S., the government shut down in D.C. (not that kind of shutdown, unless Cruz is behind this weather, too), and Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in a state of emergency.

The Midwest has gotten hit hard as well: The storm this week hasn’t just been isolated to the Northeast but has stretched 1,000 miles between Kentucky and Massachusetts, although Illinois and other nearby states have seen aftereffects of bitter cold and terrible roads.

This weather’s going to keep on keeping on until the weekend, so our best advice is to load up on hot chocolate and maybe pull a sickie at work.