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Two bikes and a basketful of snow

New York City lucked out with only 8 to 11 inches of snow, but the wind caused it to pile up in drifts, making it more difficult to trudge through the relentless white. Nevertheless, buses were up and running by noon, the Greenmarket at Union Square was doing business with a fraction of its usual booths, and a carnival atmosphere prevailed downtown as Villagers and East Villagers dug out their cars and bikes, and generally wandered around ogling the accumulated precip. Here are some photos taken around noon.

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Not cool, weather. Literally, it is not cool. In fact, it's bitter cold. It's colder than a [insert body part of fantastical Winterland inhabitant here]. I said, brr it's cold in here, there must be some lingering Arctic air in the atmosphere!" Get used to these jokes because it's going to get even colder tomorrow.

"The combination of lingering Arctic air and two merging storms has the potential to spread a large swath of snow, wintry mix and slippery travel from the Midwest to the East at the end of the week," AccuWeather reports.

On Staten Island, staying warm is especially challenging for victims of Superstorm Sandy who still don't have heat. "This is New York and there are people freezing here," resident Anthony Marotto told CBS News.

"No heat, no hot water, no kitchens, no bathrooms, can't even take a shower, can't even go to the bathroom and wash your hands and there's so many people down here like that." Volunteers are setting up tents with hot food and space heaters for residents there who will definitely need them.

Even if your situation is not as dire as those affected by Sandy, you might need a little help turning up the heat this week. Here's a look at 5 unique ways to stay warm when your chills are multiplying.

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What the hail?

If you were in New York City yesterday, you are certainly aware of the inclement weather which loudly dumped several inches of rain and quarter-size icerocks on our fair metropolis -- resulting in at least four lightening-related injuries and flooding in subway and highway hubs, according the Daily News.

And if you are here today, you might experience yet another round of rain, with the National Weather Service predicting some scattered showers before 1 p.m. and another set after 2 a.m.

We are not trying to downplay the dangers of sky electricity -- in fact, you can read safety tips here, because we're super responsible .

However, getting caught in rain won't just dampen your mood. At best, you will melt outright. At worst, you will wind up with Alice Cooper mascara. In any case, you will certainly grow webbing on your hands and feet and believe that Kevin Costner is a total dreamboat in Waterworld.

Needless to say, the consequences of an unexpected, unprotected brush with preciptitation are dire. So, we have put together a handy, helpful guide: How to survive rain in New York City.

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Rush Limbaugh apologized to Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke Saturday, who he called a "slut" for testifying in favor of contraception coverage. "My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir," he said in a statement. "I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices." Meanwhile, Limbaugh continues to see fallout as a result of his continued attacks on Fluke, in which he's likened her to a "prostitute" and mocked President Barack Obama for calling to thank her for her testimony. Quicken Loans and five other advertisers have all pulled ads from Limbaugh's show. [Rush Limbaugh, ABC, NYT]

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At least 31 are dead across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Alabama after tornado storms ravaged the Midwest and South, essentially destroying towns. Today, the rescue effort continued, as parts of the South remained on tornado watch. "It's just nuts right here," National Weather Service meteorologist John Gordon told CNN during the storms. Indiana State Police Sgt. Jerry Goodwin told a CNN affiliate that they have "complete destruction." [CNN]

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Data rating 18,000 New York City teachers was released Friday, but not without strong caveats as both teachers and education leaders warned of flaws. Teachers are evaluated based on how much value they add as evidenced by change in student performance on standardized tests relative to measurement of how the student should perform when taking into account demographics. The margin of error is, however, wide: 53 percentage points for English teachers and 35 for math. "I think it's extremely important that we not denigrate our teachers based on the reports. This, as I have indicated, is just one piece of information. It's dated information, it's two years old," Chancellor Dennis Walcott said. News organizations had requested the information under the Freedom of Information Law. [NYT, NYDN, NY1]

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There are flakes in this photo. We promise.

It's actually winter! Kind of...The city is seeing some light snow this morning. The National Weather Service predicts accumulation of less than one inch. It's not much, but it's something in this winter that hasn't always really felt like winter. According to a NY1 report from last night, the Department of Sanitation was put under snow alert at 10 p.m. Because of the threat of powder, the MTA scrapped some weekend subway work. (Don't get your hopes up, L riders. Or for that matter, you people planning on taking on the 1, 2 or 7.) Regardless, there won't be much to do in this snow. Still, it's kind of comforting to know it's there. [NWS, NY1, CBS]

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After three more people were found alive Sunday, at least 17 people are still missing from the Costa Concordia, the cruise ship that ran aground off the Italian coast Friday night. Francesco Schettino, the captain of the ship, has been arrested for, according to CNN, "investigation of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship while passengers were still on board." The New York Times said that his arrest was "amid concerns that the megaship had steered dangerously off course." [NYT, CNN]

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Last night, Beyoncé Knowles gave birth to her and Jay-Z's child, Ivy Blue Carter. The Daily News reports the baby girl was born in Lenox Hill Hospital on the Upper East Side in a private wing and that "hospital workers placed tape over security cameras and are forcing employees to turn in cell phones when they arrive for their shifts." Ivy Blue is the couple's first baby. [NYDN]

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It's like this outside, but without the leaves.

As of writing, it is 62 degrees in New York City. Fahrenheit! If you aren't a numbers person, let us translate: It's comically pleasant outside. People are wearing T-shirts, dogs are going doggie jacket-less, and everyone is happy because they don't have to deal with the bleak frigidness of yet another day of harrowing winter. Things are going to cool down when the sun sets, but you still have some time to enjoy this unseasonable warmth. Here are 10 things to do outside this afternoon.

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