I backed out of my heated garage on my way to work early Monday morning, and the digital thermometer on my vehicle’s dash looked like it was in a freefall. By the time I got to the highway — only about five or six blocks, the temperature had dropped to a single digit — only 7 degrees! Now somebody much smarter than me decided a few years back to figure in something called “wind chill,” which means the temperature Monday morning was nothing short of brutal.

The wind chill is simply how cold it feels when you factor in the wind ... although when I was growing up a bazillion years ago, I never remember anyone talking about a wind chill factor, or for that matter, nobody ever uttered the words “heat index” either. I’m not sure who invented those formulas, however, I think it’s fairly safe to say it was someone who had way too much time on their hands. While the National Weather Service claims the wind chill factor helps to protect people from bitter temperatures that feel even colder when the wind is blowing, it seems to me one just has to stick their head out the door to understand how terribly cold it is.

So far, it’s been what I would call a mild winter, but these most recent temperatures are brutal. Please remember to check on your neighbors, family and friends — especially those who are older, and don’t forget your four-legged friends who can be adversely affected by these bitterly cold temps. Stay warm.