Smoking Manhole Cover

  Smoking Manhole Cover 
  Originally uploaded by fredwilson.

It's about 15 degrees (F) in NYC today.

The streets were smoking on the way to work.

When it gets cold in the city, the heat that exists underground can be seen rising up out of the ground.

It's a cool effect.

Here are some more photos I took on my way to work in the bone chilling cold today.

Comments

[paul]

I always enjoyed winter in NYC during my years there. The smoking covers was always a comforting site to me. Sort of betrayed the activity below. I love snow in NYC even more...kind of weird I guess.

I hated the summers though...well, just on workdays. Tooling down Pine St. in a suit on a 95 degree August garbage day was a close approximation to hell in my mind.

[druce]

hot tub art in Union Square...

http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070125/480/nyr10501251835

[carl rahn griffith]

absolutely agree, fred - we always found it a very comforting experience; it was always amusing when we'd get excited and introduce visiting friends to this nyc scenario - they'd generally be rather baffled and less than impressed at our enthused remarking how 'cool' it was ... see some of my nyc/snow shots at http://www.flickr.com/photos/egoboss

[Erik Schwartz]

It was -5 in midcoast Maine this morning. I miss global warming.

[Seamus McCauley]

It's even better when it snows in New York - the combination of snow dripping off everything and steam rising out of the ground makes it look like the whole city's melting.

[Stephen L. McKay]

I like this effect too. People forget about the massive tunnel system (electrical, steam lines, sewers, etc.) that exists beneath our city. While I prefer the fall and winter months, it’s also a strange and cool sight to see steam rising from the ConEd manholes that lead to the city’s steam tunnels even on 90 degree days!

[Nancy]

I always thought this was cool in Detroit.

But wouldn't it be WAY COOLER if instead of all that heat dissipating into the air, it was harnessed and used to, you know, heat buildings!?!!?

[Robert Dewey]

There was no temperature here last night - it was 0. :)

[Jim E]

I always find this weather thing funny.

Here in Chicago, we'll typically get the same weather a couple days before it hits the east coast. There is never a word or mention in the press about it. But once the same weather system hits the east coast, then all of a sudden it is a story.

Temperatures in the teens are average for us here in Chicago. But there is good news. Today in Chicago was 38 degrees, almost shorts weather for us. So in a couple days it should thaw a little bit for you.

[Dave]

Wait. I thought global warming was afoot and the end of the world was nigh. Clearly you're lying about it being cold in winter.

[Stephen L. McKay]

To Jim E,

I lived in the windy city for 14 years, and always watched the weather there (usually channel 5, I'm an Alison Rosatti fan) the day before coming to N.Y.C. (my current home). Can only say this; As much as I love Chicago, it will always be fly-over country (that's a shame), and with the weather like it is now, we may as well check out San Diago, before heading to Buffalo!