This weather is awful!! 2008-2021

[Meadbh]

I think I will stay inside this weekend.

Yes. This would be the time to curl up with a good book or do some indoor DIY projects. And cook some chilli.

 

[brucethebroker]

This is why fireplaces and hot cocoa were invented.

And, Florida, HI, etc.

 

[Hermit]

After a couple of weeks of very windy weather in the 30s and 40s even at night, it was -7 this morning and we have about 8 inches of snow on the ground. Unlike those posting above, I will be out soon plowing. Of course, I have 4 cleated chains and won't be going more than about 15 mph.

 

[MRG]

I just got a Kat's stick-on heater pad from Amazon for the hydraulic pump on my snow plow. Hopefully, it will get the hydraulics warmed up enough to work when I start out. Once it gets warmed from use, it is OK. Kat's makes all different sizes of stick-on heaters that could be used on the diesel fuel filter and the engine oil pan. In my situation it helps to use Meyer hydraulic fluid in the plow. It seems to work better in low temps.

I have been using a paint stripper heat gun to warm the hydraulic pump. It looks and works like a hair dryer only it gets hotter. It is probably just a little safer than coals under the truck.

Oh OKAY.

Fire, grease, and diesel, what could possibly go wrong? Add electricity to that combination and it's likely to short out and cause a fire.

That's really a better solution, we didn't have electricity back in the woods. Most everyone who I w*rked with back then was insane, some of it certainly wore off on me.

 

[Nodak]

Just checked the NOAA web page. We have some relief on the way.

This Afternoon
Sunny and cold, with a high near -9. Wind chill values as low as -29. West wind around 7 mph.

Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around -28. Wind chill values as low as -38. Southwest wind around 7 mph.

Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near -1. Wind chill values as low as -45. South wind 6 to 11 mph.

Sunday Night
A 20 percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around -2. Wind chill values as low as -21. South wind 11 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Monday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. Southwest wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Monday Night
A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly after midnight. Patchy blowing snow after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 15 to 23 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.

Tuesday
Patchy blowing snow between 11am and 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 30. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

 

[Hermit]

I broke my plow. Its still around zero. My fingers got cold trying to get things straightened out enough that I can take the truck in to a welder. The mounting frame for the plow broke a bolt and got pretty bent up. The other vehicle we have out here with a plow has serious engine problems. I will have to get mine fixed next week or we could be in bad shape.

 

[MRG]

I broke my plow. Its still around zero. My fingers got cold trying to get things straightened out enough that I can take the truck in to a welder. The mounting frame for the plow broke a bolt and got pretty bent up. The other vehicle we have out here with a plow has serious engine problems. I will have to get mine fixed next week or we could be in bad shape.

Sorry to hear that. From my past, vast, working around equipment in the cold, stuff breaks! Expecially metal, it breaks in new and sometimes interesting ways.

I'm sure someone else can explain it better from a science perspective... from the school of hard knocks "metal breaks in cold".

Good luck, Hermit.

 

[Hermit]

Sorry to hear that. From my past, vast, working around equipment in the cold, stuff breaks! Expecially metal, it breaks in new and sometimes interesting ways.

I'm sure someone else can explain it better from a science perspective... from the school of hard knocks "metal breaks in cold".

Good luck, Hermit.

And it doesn't help that this thing is about 25 years old!

Thanks for the note.

 

[meierlde]

Sorry to hear that. From my past, vast, working around equipment in the cold, stuff breaks! Expecially metal, it breaks in new and sometimes interesting ways.

I'm sure someone else can explain it better from a science perspective... from the school of hard knocks "metal breaks in cold".

Good luck, Hermit.

Steel at least can get brittle in cold temps. It is said that the steel in the Titanic was such that a freezing it got brittle so when the ship hit the iceberg the hole was larger than it otherwise would have been. Smil in Still the Iron Age says that today the steel in the Titanic would not be used for anything since it is lower quality than todays steel. (Still good steel for 1910-1912)

You might want to look at stainless steel bolts and nuts. (besides stainless steel it appears very low carbon steel is also good at cold temps)

 

[Hermit]

Steel at least can get brittle in cold temps. It is said that the steel in the Titanic was such that a freezing it got brittle so when the ship hit the iceberg the hole was larger than it otherwise would have been. Smil in Still the Iron Age says that today the steel in the Titanic would not be used for anything since it is lower quality than todays steel. (Still good steel for 1910-1912)

You might want to look at stainless steel bolts and nuts. (besides stainless steel it appears very low carbon steel is also good at cold temps)

It doesn't help that I beat the crap out of the plow. Plowing on decomposed granite roads that are not maintained very well kinda does that. With 8 inches of snow, you can't always see obstacles. Pushing that much snow up and down 10% and better grades makes the whole thing even more interesting! I noticed that the bolts on the other side were about one inch bolts. On the side where they broke, the were more like 3/4 inch. I'll probably end up with the bigger bolts.

 

[Ronstar]

This weather is awful!!

We flew from Fort Lauderdale to Chicago last night. Probably the last flight that wasn't cancelled. Delayed for a while in Florida fueling up for a possible diversion. Temp wasn't bad - around 25, but freezing rain/sleet on the drive home from the airport. Normally an hour, it took nearly 2.5 hours to get home. Lots of wrecks, cars sitting backwards on the interstate. We had to take some detours to avoid portions of interstate that were closed. Now entering the deep freeze. Tomorrow's high is forecasted around 1 with a low of -12.

 

[Car-Guy]

What a change here in Central/East Texas area in the past day. Yesterday between 4 and 6pm it was ~80f degrees. This morning is was 25f. A 55 degree drop in ~12 hours. Add a 25mph north wind and it's starting to get cold (well for this part of Texas, that's getting cold)

 

[W2R]

What a change here in Central/East Texas in the past day. Yesterday between 4 and 6pm it was ~80f degrees. This morning is was 25f. A 55 degree drop in ~12 hours. Add a 25mph north wind and it's starting to get cold (well for this part of Texas, that's getting cold)

BRRRR! That sounds cold enough to me.

We had a high of 80F in New Orleans yesterday too. Right now it is 45F here, very dark, raining, and windy. Totally awful weather. Earlier the wind blown acorns were hitting my French doors so hard that I was worried they might break. It has died down, though, and now it is just miserable, dark, and rainy outside.

But our low tonight is supposed to be in the 40's too, so after reading about today' weather in Texas, I have no complaints.

 

[Nodak]

Here is what our temps were last night. Cavalier is about half way between Hallock and Langdon.

 

[braumeister]

I have been using a paint stripper heat gun to warm the hydraulic pump. It looks and works like a hair dryer only it gets hotter. It is probably just a little safer than coals under the truck.

You might also consider using one of the electric charcoal starters used by barbeque enthusiasts. A couple of my friends use them and really like them. Should be just as safe as the paint stripper and more effective. Several brands available.

Here's an example:
Looftlighter Charcoal Electric Lighter & Firestarter

 

[Music Lover]

-30 last night with a -42 wind chill. I was at a Christmas house party and went out to start my car every couple hours.

 

[braumeister]

I had my personal "coldest day" experience many years ago. I was in a remote part of Iceland in January, and the official temperature was -55°F which would be -48°C.

I have no idea what the wind chill factor was, since that was still a fairly new concept at the time, but there was a blizzard in progress and it was blowing about 30 mph (48 kph) at the very least.

All the buildings had heavy ropes (probably 3 cm diameter) between their doors and the nearby buildings. When the snow was flying, you couldn't possibly see the next building so you just guided yourself along the rope.

Ever since that time, I've been most reluctant to comment on cold weather.

 

[Gumby]

That's pretty darned cold. My own personal coldest was in January 1978 at a US Navy training facility located in Rangeley, Maine. It was about -20F and the wind was howling at a good 30 mph. The cold was exacerbated by the fact that I was floundering through many feet of snow and had no shelter or food.

 

[Music Lover]

I had my personal "coldest day" experience many years ago. I was in a remote part of Iceland in January, and the official temperature was -55°F which would be -48°C.

Ever since that time, I've been most reluctant to comment on cold weather.

That's cold.

I mentioned the -30 last night...that's normal around here. We always get two or three 7- 12 day stretches of -30 to -35 or so every single winter and wind chills sometimes of -50.

I've gone through 50+ winters like that and it's just part of life on the Canadian prairies. Dress warm and keep your car in good working condition.

 

[Hermit]

You might also consider using one of the electric charcoal starters used by barbeque enthusiasts. A couple of my friends use them and really like them. Should be just as safe as the paint stripper and more effective. Several brands available.

Here's an example:
Looftlighter Charcoal Electric Lighter & Firestarter

Thanks. First I am going to try the Kat's heater pad if it ever gets warm enough to go out and put it on!

 

[braumeister]

at a US Navy training facility located in Rangeley, Maine. It was about -20F and the wind was howling at a good 30 mph. The cold was exacerbated by the fact that I was floundering through many feet of snow and had no shelter or food.

You Navy guys always have more fun.
My USAF survival training was in Cape Cod, and we still complained!

 

[aja8888]

You Navy guys always have more fun.
My USAF survival training was in Cape Cod, and we still complained!

What USAF survival training? (I don't remember any)

 

[Maenad]

DH just commented on his two -50F camping badges he got in Boy Scouts, one of which was an overnight in snow shelters they made themselves.

It was -18F this morning, I just stayed inside today. Since I came down with asthma as an adult, I avoid breathing cold air as much as possible. Scarves have become my friends.

 

[Hermit]

What USAF survival training? (I don't remember any)

Got mine in the GI bars in Thailand.

 

[REWahoo]

What USAF survival training? (I don't remember any)

Maybe you didn't survive.