The week's bone-cracking cold has area residents near the breaking point, particularly since the precipitous plunge from record-setting warmth in January and a mild start to February.

The low temperature Tuesday was a frosty 11 degrees at 7 a.m. and the thermometer struggled to reach a high of 31 at 4:30 p.m.

For many, the cold weather brings one concern: the cost of heat.

`` We had a staff meeting today and were talking about how the calls spiked,'' said Jonathan Carlson, executive director of Self Help, which provides fuel assistance to the needy.

`` People come in constantly, but for some reason it seems this type of weather just hastens people to take action, he said.'' James Dinsel, director of Norton Human Services, has also seen an increase in the number of people asking for help.

`` Anytime it gets cold or we go through a cold spell, the numbers increase,'' he said. `` I've dealt with two calls this week alone that people were nearly out of oil and needed some immediate emergency assistance.''

The cold spell comes after the warmest January on record in Attleboro, with an average daily high temperature of 46 degrees.

That eclipsed the old record high of 45 degrees set in 2002, according to the city water department.

February also started out mild with an average high temperature of 42 and an average low of 24.

The temperature even hit a high of 60 degrees in the middle of the month, until the weather hit the skids with a rash of cold days that brought lows in the teens and high temperatures in the mid-20s.

For AAA Southern New England, the cold streak means winter is back to normal.

`` This little cold snap we've had is exactly what we expect at this time of year,'' Senior Vice President Bob Murray said.

That means responding to an increased number of lockouts, flat tires, fender benders and the winter's number one complaint -- `` can't-starts.''

Murray said calls are up from a relatively low 4,000 to 5,000 a day during the stretch of mild weather to a more typical 7,000 to 10,000 calls a day this past week. Animals aren't immune to the effects of the cold either, said Wrentham Animal Control Officer Sue Thibedeau.

They require shelter and plenty of water in cold, windy conditions, she said.

Then, there's coming in from out of the cold.

At the Chieftain Pub in Plainville, hot soups and stews have been big sellers this week, along with specialty drinks like Irish coffees and hot whiskeys, owner Tom Cahill said.

Cahill said that although the chill keeps some patrons away, the Chieftain's heat actually draws others in.

`` Some people tend to use our heat rather than their own,'' he said. `` You get people that will do that, turn their heat down at home and come on out and enjoy ours.''