How cold is it?

By FRITZ MAYER

NARROWSBURG, NY — Much of the country is in the grip of a record-breaking cold spell, threatening crops of tomatoes and strawberries in the deep South, and forcing the closing of schools in many states. But, here in the Upper Delaware Valley, it’s not that much colder than usual.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for weekend highs in the mid 20s and lows in the single digits, which is typical for this area at this time of year. The average January highs reach about 28 degrees, and the lows run to about 14.

Still, other parts of the country and the world are seeing unusually cold temperatures. In Beijing, China, for instance, the temperature dropped to a 50-year low of about three degrees. The head of the Beijing Meteorological Bureau, Guo Hu, blamed the freak weather on global warming, which he said is causing extreme atmospheric flows.

Regardless of the cause, the cold weather in Beijing and elsewhere on the planet is having a direct effect here on the price of oil. Heavy global demand for oil has caused the price to jump to more than $81 per barrel, or nearly double the price in January 2009, when the cost of a barrel of oil was ranging about $44.

Several analysts predict the price to drop back down a bit, while meteorologists say the weather will remain seasonably cold for the foreseeable future.