UNDATED (AP) - Southern California remains in the grip of a cold spell with near-record breaking low temperatures expected again overnight.
Records were broken in many areas early today. The city of Lancaster shivered at 16 degrees, two degrees below the record low set in 1965. Nearby Palmdale was an icy 18. The old mark was 22 set in 1992.
Along the coast, early morning lows were 28 at Santa Barbara airport, 31 in Camarillo and 36 in Long Beach. The temperature at Los Angeles International Airport fell to 39 degrees, tying the 1924 mark.
All the temperatures were described by forecasters as preliminary record lows for the date.
Two women were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning in Long Beach after using abarbecue to heat their home. Officials say both women are stable. 

 This is North California. The cold spell has taken its toll already.
Farmer of citrus are spending million dollar a day to fight for
the cold spell. Jan 14, 2007 the temperature started dropping
from ordinary 32 in the morning. At beginning
I still maintained having hot water showering in the night.
According to the news, the temperature would drop to around 20.
I started taking counter measure to fight the cold spell by covering
most of faucets with insulation. In the wellhead,
I covered the joint union and faucet with heaving fabric.
I thought I would go thru with this sever winter.
It turned out not exactly as I expected.
On Jan 15, the morning temperature dropped to 18.
No hot water from sink. And worst still,
there were no cold water either. I just could not believe it.
I put on wool hat and heavy down jacket and started checking
out the whole 7 buildings.
Every thing looked all right and I saw no leak from
external pipe. I still could not explain the puzzle.
Finally, the holding tank with 5,000-gallon capacity
was completely empty. I was in deep trouble. No water
no Business. This was the 1st time in 16 years I have
experienced the severe cold spell.

I went to check another supplying tank, which was new and
installed in 2005. Here there were! "EMPTY".
There must be some broken pipe somewhere 
in the ground. Bill came to my rescue in the motel.
We finally found a broken galvanized "T" busted.
We spent hours to replace it.
The well started pumping again and Bill said having water
to take hot shower first.I thought we would be out of
cold spell for this winter.
Wait a minutes.
The next morning we still did not have water to wash face.
"What went wrong with this stuff which cost me $45,000
in 2005?" It is an irony that was a professional job!
I have tried to figure out what would be the
cause of trouble. After reviewing all the
process of well drilling, I came to realize there was
one big mistake in well drilling.There is a 170 feet long
water supply pipe nakedly exposed on the foot hill not
covered nor buried. Based on rule they were supposed
to bury 18" deep under ground to suspend the severe
weather. Now the cold spell breaks the history in CA.
Do I have to live a life without water? There must be something
I can do. Ah-ha, I figured one alternative. I am going to make
another faulcet to release the water from that holding tank.
That is life. Mariposa has 15 degree (-9 centigrade)
Most of residents, if not all, experienced pipe broken.Bob had 3 while
Jim had 6 broken pipes. I got 27 old rooms and you can imagine how
many damages the spell has caused me.

on Jan 16 morning. Nothing can beat me! That is my spirit.