No relief: More cold, snow, ice, wintry mix for much of US

A wide swath of the country shivered in freezing, record-breaking temperatures while other areas saw more winter precipitation Tuesday.

A mix of snow, sleet, rain and freezing rain hit parts of the southern Plains and the South, where school districts in more than a half-dozen states from Texas eastward canceled or delayed classes.

Meanwhile, the East Coast endured colder-than-usual weather. Temperatures were well below average in many spots, and even far below zero.

The wintry weather showed no sign of letting up: Especially in the South, many folks braced for more storms later this week.

Here’s a look at what’s happening:

SNOW FOR SALE

A Massachusetts man found a way to profit from the several feet of snow in his yard: Shipping it to people in warmer climates for the bargain price of $89 for six pounds.

Kyle Waring, of Manchester-by-the-Sea, got the idea while shoveling snow. He’s launched ShipSnowYo.com.

At first, he shipped 16.9-ounce snow-filled bottles for $19.99, but he found the snow melted by the time it arrived at its destination.

So he came up with a new plan, selling six pounds at a time. He tells Boston.com (http://bit.ly/17SWbEt ) that even if the snow melts a little by the time it arrives, the package can still make 10 to 15 snowballs.

NO STOPPING FOR BICYCLE COMMUTER

The cold and snow haven’t stopped Fraser Cunningham. On Friday, just as he’s been doing every single morning at 5:30 for more than 18 months, the 56-year-old GE engineer hopped on his bicycle and rode to work.

It was so cold that his eyes froze open during the trek, he told The Cincinnati Enquirer (http://cin.ci/1B8SPLc).

“It’s better than freezing shut,” he said.

Cunningham hadn’t missed a day commuting by bicycle since July 22, 2013.

His route is 16.5 miles each way.

Missing a day because it’s raining, or snowing, or windy, would be a slippery slope, he said — it has to be every day.

SALT SHORTAGE

As snow and frigid temperatures continue in Ohio, communities in parts of the state are running short on road salt, city officials said.

Some cities have waited weeks for hundreds of tons of ordered salt, the Northeast Ohio Media Group reported (http://bit.ly/1DQsL6q ).

The region has recorded nearly 60 inches of snow since November. Lower-than average temperatures have made snow harder to melt and roads more difficult to clear.

For some cities, a serious salt problem is just one more snowfall away.

“We have enough to last this next week, but if it keeps consistently snowing it’s going to be difficult,” Middleburg Heights Service Director Jim Herron said.

SNOWBALL FIGHT

At Duke University, psychology professor Amir Rezvani brought his class outside for an impromptu snowball fight near the traffic circle that surrounds the statue of Washington Duke. More than two dozen students giggled and bent over to grab handfuls of snow and pelt one another.

“I asked them to come out for 10 minutes,” Rezvani said before bending over and balling up some snow.

Mary Gabrielle Thompson, a freshman from Boston, said the “snow’s not very impressive.” But she admitted the snowball fight was wonderful.

HIKERS BEWARE

At the Top of Georgia Hostel &Hiking Center, a shelter for hikers on the Appalachian Trail, the branches of pine trees were dipping low with the weight of about 4 inches of snow, proprietor Bob Gabrielsen said Tuesday morning.

About 16 hikers spent the night Monday, Gabrielsen said, and all of them hiked out Tuesday morning on the trail, which was transformed into a bright white snowscape in the north Georgia mountains east of Hiawassee. This time of year, some hikers camp on the trail itself.

Gabrielsen warned that inexperienced hikers could find themselves in trouble because weather forecasts aren’t always accurate, cellphone coverage can be spotty or nonexistent, and roads can be several miles away.

Some people think hiking the Appalachian Trail “is like the Pirates of the Caribbean ride where you can get off when you want to — and you can’t necessarily do that,” Gabrielsen said.