Embarass in the Cold

[Maksutov]

As in the town in Minnesota. (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=4&u=/ap/20050117/ap_on_re_us/cold_weather)

Looks like they could give Frostbite Falls (http://www.aquaforums.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1037&view=findpost&p=8623) a run for its money.

Ah, global warming!

[CTM VT 2K]

I am familer with that particular MN town... They claim they got robbed of the title a few years back when the NWS thermometer broke before it registered a -62°F overnight low - the same night Tower hit -60°F.

Let me tell you, this Commonwealth of Virginia native literally thought hell had frozen over my first winter visit to family there - it hit -43°F that Christmas (just outside the town of Virginia MN, to add to the confusion that my folks had just moved from Woodbridge, VA the preceeding year - moving from Virginia to Virginia). A couple of winter breaks in that part of the world is all you need to learn to deal with the 99% Humidity and 99°F temperatures around DC in the summer.... :o

[Meteora]

...the 99% Humidity and 99°F temperatures around DC in the summer.... :o

...Which, of course, do not ever occur at the same time (saunas and hot showers and such excluded).

[Maksutov]

I am familer with that particular MN town... They claim they got robbed of the title a few years back when the NWS thermometer broke before it registered a -62°F overnight low - the same night Tower hit -60°F.

Let me tell you, this Commonwealth of Virginia native literally thought hell had frozen over my first winter visit to family there - it hit -43°F that Christmas (just outside the town of Virginia MN, to add to the confusion that my folks had just moved from Woodbridge, VA the preceeding year - moving from Virginia to Virginia). A couple of winter breaks in that part of the world is all you need to learn to deal with the 99% Humidity and 99°F temperatures around DC in the summer.... :o
A Tale of Two Virginias, eh? That's funny. :D

One thing I always liked was how things sounded and smelled different when the air got into the -25° to -50° F range. Ordinary sounds seemed much clearer, and smells seemed sharper. One could almost smell the cold. Hmmm, theme for another commercial, perhaps for deodorant, ala Coors? 8)

[Jobe]

when I first saw the title of the topic, I thought it was something to do with coming out of a really cold swimming pool :|

[the_shaggy_one]

Check out my location -- it's been a great week to be a Minnesotan. :D

Incidentally, my great-uncle died right before that record low was set. It just so happened that the temperature on the day of the funeral was about -20, down in the Twin Cities. Since he'd been in the army, it was an outdoor ceremony. I have never been so cold.

Also, the cure for a Minnesota winter is a Finnish sauna. Go out on the lake, chop a 4x4 foot hole in the ice, stick a ladder in it, then go and get the sauna above 200 degrees. Then jump between the two with an exterior temperature of around -15 degrees. I did this up in Ely (same neighborhood as Embarass and Virginia) around thanksgiving of 2002.

[Enzp]

Yes, there is a Virginia, Virginia.

[RaptorBpW]

...the 99% Humidity and 99°F temperatures around DC in the summer.... :o

...Which, of course, do not ever occur at the same time (saunas and hot showers and such excluded).

Maybe not, but 99 degrees and 85% humidity is pretty danged nasty. Try spending three hours on a golf course in that stuff, five feet below sea level in New Orleans.

Yikes.

As far as cold goes...it's 33 outside right now in southern Mississippi. Plenty cold enough for me, thank you very much. :D

I cannot fathom -54. I just can't imagine it.

[Candy]

when I first saw the title of the topic, I thought it was something to do with coming out of a really cold swimming pool :|
Me, too! :lol:

[the_shaggy_one]

I remember the news coverage from 1996 when Virginia, MN registered a temperature of -60... The local meteorologist hammered a nail into a 2x4 with a banana.

They closed schools for 2 days because going outside to wait for the bus would have been fatal to a small child.

[Candy]

I remember the news coverage from 1996 when Virginia, MN registered a temperature of -60... The local meteorologist hammered a nail into a 2x4 with a banana.
How can you hammer a nail into a banana at that degree. It would shatter. :-?

[I was going to just write OUCH!] :lol:

[the_shaggy_one]

The banana was the hammer. Don't ask me how, as I have very little idea how the science works. I saw it on a local newscast, so I'm assuming that it actually happened. :P

[Candy]

The banana was the hammer. Don't ask me how, as I have very little idea how the science works. I saw it on a local newscast, so I'm assuming that it actually happened. :P
Enters discussions on thread with great Banana knowledge during extremely cold weather. :D
VVVV

[Argos]

Ah, global warming!

I usually monitor the weather across the world via Wunderground. Few days ago southern Ohio experienced some 15 C, while the Carolinas were having a mild subtropical weather, up to 20C. I was surprised that such readings were possible in the continental north american winter.

[Maksutov]

Ah, global warming!

I usually monitor the weather across the world via Wunderground. Few days ago southern Ohio experienced some 15 C, while the Carolinas were having a mild subtropical weather, up to 20C. I was surprised that such readings were possible in the continental north american winter.
It's called the January Thaw (http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2002/alm02jan2.htm).

[Candy]

Roselle, IL

Current Conditions:
As reported at KORD, O'Hare Arpt..
Last update Tue 18 Jan 2005 5:56 AM CST.

Partly Cloudy
2°F

Feels Like: 2°F
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the SW at 3 mph
Humidity: 64 %
Visibility: 10.00 miles
Barometer: 30.75 inches and Rising

I'm so cold right now, I can't stand it. :-?

[Argos]

Ah, global warming!

I usually monitor the weather across the world via Wunderground. Few days ago southern Ohio experienced some 15 C, while the Carolinas were having a mild subtropical weather, up to 20C. I was surprised that such readings were possible in the continental north american winter.
It's called the January Thaw (http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2002/alm02jan2.htm).

Very informative, thanks. We have something like that in mid winter. It´s called "veranico" or " little summer". However, extreme winter here is only 30F, though we may experience 25F more to the south of the country.

[Crazieman]

A standard US central plains winter consists of varying temperatures from -20 to 70 degrees, and can be all those within a week's span of time.

Some of those temperature systems have very sharp divides and truck their way across the landscape at a good pace.

[sts60]

A standard US central plains winter consists of varying temperatures from -20 to 70 degrees, and can be all those within a week's span of time.

Some of those temperature systems have very sharp divides and truck their way across the landscape at a good pace.
When I lived in Boulder, it went from 86 deg. F to 10 deg. F in less than 36 hours...

A couple of winter breaks in that part of the world is all you need to learn to deal with the 99% Humidity and 99°F temperatures around DC in the summer....
Oh, come on, it's not that bad. We get some hot and humid days, true. You should live in Houston, as I used to, to really appreciate several straight months of days above 95 F and 95% humidity. Then you see some stupid TV show showing people riding through the desert around Houston, and you laugh the bitter, knowing laugh of someone who has to go cut yesterday's half-foot growth of St. Augustine with a manual gang-reel mower...

[SeanF]

A standard US central plains winter consists of varying temperatures from -20 to 70 degrees, and can be all those within a week's span of time.

Some of those temperature systems have very sharp divides and truck their way across the landscape at a good pace.
When I lived in Boulder, it went from 86 deg. F to 10 deg. F in less than 36 hours...
Fastest temperature change on record (http://www.blackhillsweather.com/chinook.html):

At about 7:30am MST, the temperature in Spearfish was -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The chinook kicked in, and two minutes later the temperature was 45 degrees above zero. The 49 degree rise in two minutes set a world record that is still on the books. By 9:00am, the temperature had risen to 54 degrees. Suddenly, the chinook died down and the temperature tumbled back to -4 degrees. The 58 degree drop took only 27 minutes.
From -4 to +45 in two minutes. There were broken windows all over town, to my understanding. :o

[Avatar28]

I experienced a pretty extreme temp drop here a few years back. I'd gone out to a movie with a friend. As we left the theater, it was cool, but comfortable. I'd say in the 60's.

We went to a nearby McDonald's to grab a bite to eat. While we were eating, it started raining...HARD. I had to run out to the car to grab something after 5 or 10 minutes of rain and the temperature had dropped from comfortable to something just a bit over freezing. Mid to upper 30's I believe.

[Meteora]

Maybe not, but 99 degrees and 85% humidity is pretty danged nasty.

You should live in Houston, as I used to, to really appreciate several straight months of days above 95 F and 95% humidity.

Pet peeve, sorry:

Outdoor shade temperatures* above 95 F are never accompanied by relative humidities above 70% in the USA, and it is extremely rare for the RH to exceed 50% at that temperature. I suspect people hear the morning relative humidity and apply it to the afternoon temperatures. That doesn't work. On warm summer days, the RH invariably drops by a substantial amount during the morning and early afternoon.

* - a.k.a. "official" temperatures

[Meteora]

One thing I always liked was how things sounded and smelled different when the air got into the -25° to -50° F range. Ordinary sounds seemed much clearer, and smells seemed sharper. One could almost smell the cold.

Gee, my personal record low is -24°F (Omaha, Nebraska - December 21, 1983). Just missed. :D

For the record, I absolutely hated that kind of weather!

[Maksutov]

One thing I always liked was how things sounded and smelled different when the air got into the -25° to -50° F range. Ordinary sounds seemed much clearer, and smells seemed sharper. One could almost smell the cold.

Gee, my personal record low is -24°F (Omaha, Nebraska - December 21, 1983). Just missed. :D

For the record, I absolutely hated that kind of weather!
My only complaint about the cold is best summarized by my reaction to the -25° F weather we experienced in Granby, Ct for a few days one winter. Down in the basement one could feel the cold air cascading off the stone walls. Every night the furnace was on more than it was off. My son got a kick out of my saying, when the furnace kicked on yet again, "Hear that? That's the sound of my money going up the chimney!"

[Meteora]

On the day I described, I left work late in the afternoon, after it had warmed to a nice, toasty -8°F (that's -22°C, for those of you who use the right temperature scale :wink: ). My car started - sort of. It made a horrible screeching sound, so I shut it off. Bad move. It took a coworker about half an hour to successfully jump-start it. As soon as he disconnected the jumper cable, the car stalled again. It sat in the parking lot for several days - which is how long it took to find a new battery for it. I guess a lot of people had the same problem!

[Argos]

Weather is strange. I took a trip to Antactica in summer´96 for a 3-day stay. The temperature there (Graham´s land) was never colder than 4 C. I´ve been to the Andes in southern Argentina and Chile in Summer, some times. Never experienced less than O C (32F). Been to Europe and the States and suffered with heat. However, here on my own place, over the tropic of Capricon line, I saw the termometer plummet to minus 5 C in 1975. My record low, in my own backyard!

[Candy]

It sat in the parking lot for several days... 8-[