Cold Weather

Cold weather was most likely the cause of December's massive fish kill in the Chesapeake Bay, the Maryland Department of the Environment reported. About two million fish — mostly juvenile spot 3 to 6 inches long — washed ashore in Calvert County, near the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant, Annapolis, Sandy Point State Park, Poplar Island south of Kent Island, the Honga River in Dorchester County and Tangier Sound. No other fish kills were reported after that single incident.

The forecast for Saturday's divisional playoff game at Pittsburgh is 32 degrees with a 30 percent chance of snow. Those conditions will make the Ravens feel right at home at Heinz Field. Over the past two winters, the Ravens have heated up when the temperatures have dropped, winning their past five games when the temperature at kickoff is below 35 degrees. And the Ravens don't just win in the frigid cold. They slam teams into the frozen turf. Their average margin in those five wins has been 16.4 points, including a 30-7 rout of Kansas City on Sunday when the wind chill was 16 degrees.

It could be two weeks before state officials know for certain what killed an estimated 2 million fish in the Chesapeake Bay. Or, they may never find out the exact cause. Biologists with the Maryland Department of the Environment sent tissue samples from the fish, mostly juvenile spot 3- to 6-inches long, to state labs to pinpoint the reason they died. But for now, they believe a rapid drop in temperature in December caused cold-water stress, said MDE spokeswoman Dawn Stoltzfus.

From Jay Hancock's Blog: A cold weather forecast has pulled natural gas prices up from an eight-year low, Bloomberg reports. That will probably be reflected in BGE's residential natural gas price for January. But while prices may have notched up, they're rising from really low levels. The recession and a worldwide natural-gas glut have depressed gas prices and profits. The default natural gas price for BGE customers this month (the floating price you get if you don't lock in with another supplier)

It's getting colder outside, but many people still want to get in a daily run, ride or walk. Outdoors exercise can be done safely in lower temperatures, says Dr. David Buchalter an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at OrthoMaryland. But some precautions are necessary. It's important to stretch, drink fluids and cover your head in the cold. And if your New Year's resolution is to begin exercising this winter, you need to ask yourself some questions first. Question: What's different about cold-weather exercising, and how do you prepare?

Brad Bergesen acknowledges that he was very worried after he suffered a strained shoulder in December, but he seems confident he'll be back on the mound in the next two weeks. "Every time I throw, there's change," Bergesen said. "The progression has gone great. [Assistant athletic trainer] Brian Ebel and I have spent so much time together. I feel like he's worked a miracle with me." The Orioles projected that Bergesen's training schedule would be set back 10 days when it was revealed that he had come up sore after an Orioles TV commercial shoot.

A fine layer of snow blanketed the ground Saturday, and temperatures hovered below freezing, but neither Dolly nor Anna seemed to mind. The two female elephants, like many of the hundreds of animals at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, might not be native to cold climates. But they've learned to adapt. And having a thick hide and big body doesn't hurt. "I always tell people, with animals, it's not so much where you're from as much as what you're acclimated to," said Mike McClure, general curator of the zoo in Druid Hill Park.

In the depths of winter, when scarves and gloves can hardly fend off the cold, the best way to warm up is from the inside out. When the mercury dips, seasonal comfort cocktails start appearing on drink lists around the city. From classics such as hot toddies and Irish coffees to wintry twists on ordinary lattes, the options and experimentation seem limitless. We sipped seven winter cocktails from city restaurants and bars and judged them on their value and how well they combated the cold.

Take record snow in December, add a long stretch of below-average temperatures and a weekend of howling north winds and you've got what's beginning to look like a real winter for Maryland this year. High temperatures are expected to lag a full seven degrees or more below normal throughout the week, pushing energy bills higher and making it at least uncomfortable - and possibly dangerous - to spend much time outside. Baltimore's emergency shelters are packed with homeless looking for a respite from the weather.