Temperatures Hit Record Lows in NYC

New York City saw record low temperatures Friday morning at the tail end of a polar vortex. The city's been advising New Yorkers to stay indoors as much as possible. But many New Yorkers needed to brave the cold for work.

It was 2 degrees in city Friday morning, the lowest it's been since 1950. But that didn't stop people like Orlando Torres from going to work. He hands out flyers for a nail salon on Fordham Road in the Bronx and says he doesn't mind being outside.

"It is pretty cold, but for me, I'm warm and I'm enjoying the people coming back and forth and I'm enjoying the world," Torres said.

But that doesn't mean he's not bundled up. He was wearing four layers to keep out the cold during the eight hours he was working. Other outdoor workers were wearing similar clothes. They tried not to think about the weather and looked forward to the warmth of their home. But despite the record lows, many said it's just another cold day at work.

Joseph Esposito is with the Office of Emergency Management. He said he often passes construction workers, street vendors and other outdoor workers like Torres, even on days as cold as Friday.

"Generally speaking, they know how to stay warm. But in this kind of weather, even those folks need to pay attention to their bodies," Esposito said.

Esposito said outdoor workers should use a buddy system so someone else knows how they're feeling or if help is needed. He said the homeless are also in danger because of the frigid weather. Esposito urged New Yorkers to call 311 if they think anyone on the street needs to be brought to a shelter.

The city is supposed to get a break from its deep freeze over the weekend with temperatures around 30 on Saturday and as high as the 40's on Sunday.