This weather is awful!! 2008-2021

[ExFlyBoy5]

Mmmm..no thanks! It's cool here, 25 degrees at almost 11:00a but still tolerable. Another forum I am on, someone posted what it's like in a hot tub when the "wind chill" is -51...

1. Your hair forms an ice helmet in about 10 seconds.
2. The steam immediately turns to shards of ice and blows in to your face... causing odd stinging sensation.
3. the water in the tubes of the jets is so cold it drops the hot tub 2 degrees when you turn them on.
4. your eyelids freeze shut in about 15 seconds when you close your eyes.
5. Every surface reacts as if it was the lamp post in A Christmas Story.

 

[Ronstar]

It’s 78° warmer now at our snowbird Arizona condo than it is at our Illinois home. I got a text from comed that our Illinois area had a short electrical outage this morning, but it looks like everything is on now. At -23°, the house would get cold in a hurry if the electricity went off for hours.

 

[W2R]

-21F at our house is right now. Wind chill reportedly -50F, but we’re not going out.

So glad you are not going out in this. Take care and I hope that you and others getting the brunt of this cold front are able to stay safe and warm at home. This cold Arctic blast is so extreme.

It's colder than usual down here too, but nothing like what the Chicago area is experiencing. We haven't even got down to freezing yet this year.

 

[NYEXPAT]

I heard it is so cold in Missouri that State Police have urged criminals to take the day off!

 

[Marita40]

Here in MN we are expecting a 60-70 degree difference between today (-25) and this weekend (in the 40s). People will break out the shorts and flip flops.

 

[imoldernu]

It’s 78° warmer now at our snowbird Arizona condo than it is at our Illinois home. I got a text from comed that our Illinois area had a short electrical outage this morning, but it looks like everything is on now. At -23°, the house would get cold in a hurry if the electricity went off for hours.

Will furnace or heater restart automatically? It's 12:30 PM now, and our temperature is still minus 16F. Local news said there were 9000 power losses... all back on now.

 

[Tailgate]

meanwhile in the South
https://www.facebook.com/itisasouthernthing/videos/2295264953857446/?t=5


(Facebook link)

 

[MRG]

I remember this from many years ago. Please be careful.

https://lacrossetribune.com/news/op...cle_39e83c39-fef6-5a78-9c37-a512f1aa51ff.html

The U.S. Air Force has a 30-30-30 rule for cold weather: In minus-30 degrees F and a wind of 30 mph (actually knots), exposed human flesh freezes in 30 seconds.

 

[Ronstar]

Will furnace or heater restart automatically? It's 12:30 PM now, and our temperature is still minus 16F. Local news said there were 9000 power losses... all back on now.

Yes - it will restart automatically. I have gas heat - so only the fan goes off. Turns right back on when the power comes back on.

And I forgot - I put the furnace on my generator backup panel anyway. But I haven't had any winter power outages since I got the generator until today.

 

[Walt34]

Here it is a balmy 26° F, the natural gas furnace is chugging along nicely, and we have no plans to go any further than the mailbox. The forecast snow fizzled to little more than a dusting and the most appropriate snow removal tool was a broom. And a large dollop of honey goes well in a cup of hot tea.

 

[Which Roger]

At -23, it was a great morning to run errands. No traffic or crowds since everybody else stayed home. Dress for the weather, and you'll be fine.

 

[GravitySucks]

I heard it is so cold in Missouri that State Police have urged criminals to take the day off!

Netflix and Chill.
https://cnycentral.com/news/local/stay-inside-watch-netflix-dont-commit-crimes-cayuga-co-sheriffs-office?platform=hootsuite

On the plus side, assaults and homicide rates plummet in this weather.

 

[marko]

Maybe it's me. I'm not minimizing the dangers and painfulness of this cold snap, not at all.

But it seems to me the media is making this into Armageddon.

Over the years even north of Boston we've had cold spells of 15 below; I remember skiing about 20 years ago in New Hampshire at 30 below zero...not wind chill, actual 30 below zero.

Today they were making a big deal that it was going to be 25 below in Minneapolis. I spent a lot of time in MSP and it seems to me that is cold, but not extremely unusual for that part of the country.

It just seems that everybody is in a panic over what is a very cold, but not uniquely unusual cold snap. "Coldest since 1985!!", so...it was colder in 1985?

Or am I just getting to be a crotchety old man?

 

[footenote]

Maybe it's me. I'm not minimizing the dangers and painfulness of this cold snap, not at all.

But it seems to me the media is making this into Armageddon.

Over the years even north of Boston we've had cold spells of 15 below; I remember skiing about 20 years ago in New Hampshire at 30 below zero...not wind chill, actual 30 below zero.

Today they were making a big deal that it was going to be 25 below in Minneapolis. I spent a lot of time in MSP and it seems to me that is cold, but not extremely unusual for that part of the country.

It just seems that everybody is in a panic over what is a very cold, but not uniquely unusual cold snap. "Coldest since 1985!!", so...it was colder in 1985?

Or am I just getting to be a crotchety old man?

The low tonight here in Central Minnesota will be -37F (NOT the wind-chill which will be much lower). I've lived in Minnesota much of my adult life and, yes, this time is different.

 

[marko]

The low tonight here in Central Minnesota will be -37F (NOT the wind-chill which will be much lower). I've lived in Minnesota much of my adult life and, yes, this time is different.

Thanks. So, for the 4th time today, I stand corrected!

 

[ownyourfuture]

I heard from family members near Chicago who live in an older home (built in the 1920s) without insulation in the walls. Their furnace is running nonstop now, the temps in the house are 55 deg F, and it's not as cold outside as it's gonna get. It's not going to be fun to crawl out from under those blankets in the morning.

That would be awful. Could also be dangerous, I don't think furnaces are designed to run nonstop. Hope they made it through ok.

 

[Dtail]

I wish everyone the best for neighbors up North. Be safe and stay warm.

 

[footenote]

Just found out friend went on totally non-emergency shopping trip today
#WHY??

 

[Which Roger]

Just found out friend went on totally non-emergency shopping trip today
#WHY??

I did the same. It was a perfect day to run errands. No traffic and stores weren't crowded. It's only a short walk from the parking lot into the warm store.

 

[rayinpenn]

This weather is awful!!

5 and blowing and I just walked the pooch.. its the coldest I remember in maybe 20 years. Ill have to switch to my artic Parker for the early walk - the cold went thru my normally warm coat. The Mrs broke out a 20 year old super her super bulky heavy coat with sheep hair lining ...

There are times when wealth is a warm coat and house. - this is one of those times. its sad to know there will be people freezing tonight somewhere.

 

[Jerry1]

Just got a alert on my phone for Consumers Power (natural gas) customers in Michigan to turn their heat down to 65 degrees. That’s a little colder than I like it but if that helps keep the heat/gas on, I’m there. I guess there was a pressure station that broke down or blew up or something. Losing power, I’d at least be able to run my generator, but losing natural gas would be unprecedented. Holding on and hoping for the best and as rayinpenn mentioned, to be able to stay warm is a blessing not everyone has tonight.

 

[6miths]

Always happy to have a couple of wood burning fireplaces in this kind of cold or when an ice storm is in the forecast.

 

[rayinpenn]

This weather is awful!!

marko
<b>”It just seems that everybody is in a panic over what is a very cold, but not uniquely unusual cold snap. "Coldest since 1985!!", so...it was colder in 1985?

Or am I just getting to be a crotchety old man?”</b>

Cold like this finds houses imperfections - ones that tolerate 17 degrees but at -3 your pipes break. Cars fail (vapor lock, battery output lessens.) and heating bills get big. Remember how many live paycheck to paycheck.

Think about how many people are out freezing dragging a fuel oil hose to peoples houses? or putting out a fire? Or picking up your garbage? To them this cold is a real big deal.

Don’t think Minnesota think Virginia they just aren’t ready for it.

 

[kgtest]

marko
<b>”It just seems that everybody is in a panic over what is a very cold, but not uniquely unusual cold snap. "Coldest since 1985!!", so...it was colder in 1985?

Or am I just getting to be a crotchety old man?”</b>

Cold like this finds houses imperfections - ones that tolerate 17 degrees but at -3 your pipes break. Cars fail (vapor lock, battery output lessens.) and heating bills get big. Remember how many live paycheck to paycheck.

Think about how many people are out freezing dragging a fuel oil hose to peoples houses? or putting out a fire? Or picking up your garbage? To them this cold is a real big deal.

Don’t think Minnesota think Virginia they just aren’t ready for it.

You make a valid point Ray. I am in MN I already fixed one furnace...exhaust pipe froze and ezhaust inducer kept cycling as it failed to exhaust...and one neighbors dead battery...just not enough juice to cold crank after being outside... But this is in MN where we are truly experienced. Saw people in ditches and dead cars all over but someone is always hillbillying around in a jackes up white 4x4 with toe straps and a shovel ready to help. That's the MN nice people speak of. Gotta be hearty to play in the cold.

 

[ls99]

A balmy -2F in SW PA. Compared the north country.



One of my j*bs was in public transit. The passangers rarely think about the night shift. The crews work in all kinds of weather all year around, much of it outside. Public transit runs 24/7/365. Most maintenance personnel are considered essential workers, the worse the weather the more important and required to show up at work, and do multiple shifts if the weather is really crappy. I have done 3 shifts in a row many times.


Maintenance crews who inspect, repair and clean the trains, street cars, buses. Or of the crews who test and maintain the signals, the tracks and power substations. Or of the train cleaning crews which are mostly at least in Baltimore, ARC folks. They are able bodied but mentally hanicapped and work all night.