Forecast is minus (-20) Below Zero. Cold enough?

[NW-Bound]

Temperature here in the sunny low-desert Southwest is 68F (20C) today.

I just came back in from the backyard, where I spent 30 min browning 3 lbs of meat over a gas burner to make pork goulash. I never want to do the meat browning inside the home to avoid grease vapor all over the kitchen. And I did the cooking in shorts and T-shirt.

The goulash is braising on the stove inside right now. It's gonna be tasty. Life is good, even if it will never be as long as we want it. The finished goulash should be like this photo I linked off the web.

 

[ER Fireball]

Yeah, but our tough MN winters make all the women strong, the men good looking,and the children above average. So there!

That's because the weak ones don't survive very many winters!!

People have asked if I was going to move back to Minnesota when I retire. I tell them there is no way I am signing up for that winter again! I survived it for 20 some years, that is enough!

 

[brewer12345]

Temperature here in the sunny low-desert Southwest is 68F (20C) today.

I just came back in from the backyard, where I spent 30 min browning 3 lbs of meat over a gas burner to make pork goulash. I never want to do the meat browning inside the home to avoid grease vapor all over the kitchen. And I did the cooking in shorts and T-shirt.

The goulash is braising on the stove inside right now. It's gonna be tasty. Life is good, even if it will never be as long as we want it. The finished goulash should be like this photo I linked off the web.

I have not done pork in any form for years, but that looks pretty good.

Was splitting wood to replenish the pile and running the smoker today. My MIL requested a smoked turkey for Christmas dinner. My FIL used to be the man on the spot, but his Parkinson's has progressed to the point that he is no longer really able to do that sort of thing. Since the big smoker I have blows almost 20 pounds of charcoal for a turkey, I loaded it up with 3 large chickens and 3 squirrels (an experiment). The chickens I cut up and froze for future meals. The turkey went into the fridge for Christmas. The squirrels were a very successful experiment. I pulled apart and scarfed a whole one before I quite realized what I had done. Other two are set aside for later in the week. I feel a pulled squirrel sandwich coming on...

 

[NW-Bound]

Smoked squirrels, then pulled squirrel...

I like that. Darn! I might have to get myself a couple one of these days. Up in my boonies home, there weren't that many squirrels around. I have seen a few chipmunks, but that was it.

 

[Dcharles]

OMG! Went outside to shovel drifted snow and my gloved fingers froze to the shovel handle, it hurt to breath in the icy air and my eye lids froze half shut. what? I finally glanced at the thermometer which was sitting at a balmy -31below zero! No wonder it felt a tad nippy! The light wind was pushing the windchill south of -45 below which is cold! Could somebody send some Global warming up our way? If you believe in Global warming, please come up to my place and let us discuss it on the back deck over a cold beer. It would be fun to see which freezes solid first, the beer or shivering lips! Ha!

 

[MRG]

Smoked squirrels, then pulled squirrel...

I like that. Darn! I might have to get myself a couple one of these days. Up in my boonies home, there weren't that many squirrels around. I have seen a few chipmunks, but that was it.

I delicacy I've never tried, but I'd be first in line. Great idea.
MRG

 

[Nodak]

Wind chill values in ND this morning:

 

[Dcharles]

Thanks for the warm reminder of -50 below zero! At that temperature, North Dakotan's get out there winter jackets. Ha! Honestly, there were people stranded on the Hwy out of gasoline in their cars. Why would anyone head out in the road without checking your fuel gauge? I believe too many people have been caught in blizzards like this and die from exposure to these dangerous windchills. Normally, there are no problems traveling and living up here as long as you have some common sense.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

OMG! Went outside to shovel drifted snow and my gloved fingers froze to the shovel handle, it hurt to breath in the icy air and my eye lids froze half shut. what? I finally glanced at the thermometer which was sitting at a balmy -31below zero! No wonder it felt a tad nippy! The light wind was pushing the windchill south of -45 below which is cold! Could somebody send some Global warming up our way? If you believe in Global warming, please come up to my place and let us discuss it on the back deck over a cold beer. It would be fun to see which freezes solid first, the beer or shivering lips! Ha!

I've heard speculation that the subnormal temperatures in the Upper Midwest are the flip side of the coin from the abnormal warmth they're seeing in Russia. Here's the December 2013 temperature chart for Moscow -- note the graph under the calendar that shows a comparison to the normal highs and lows.
Moscow December Weather 2013 - AccuWeather Forecast for Moscow Russia

 

[Nodak]

OMG! Went outside to shovel drifted snow and my gloved fingers froze to the shovel handle, it hurt to breath in the icy air and my eye lids froze half shut. what? I finally glanced at the thermometer which was sitting at a balmy -31below zero! No wonder it felt a tad nippy! The light wind was pushing the windchill south of -45 below which is cold! Could somebody send some Global warming up our way? If you believe in Global warming, please come up to my place and let us discuss it on the back deck over a cold beer. It would be fun to see which freezes solid first, the beer or shivering lips! Ha!

I see you're in Bismarck, I'm just across the river in Mandan.

 

[Dcharles]

I see you're in Bismarck, I'm just across the river in Mandan.

yes! It seems that the weather is always nicer when you cross the Missouri River bridge into Mandan, where the West begins! Actually, I sort of like extreme cold and nasty winters as long as there is a break or two in the weather to allow a little out door activity. looks like our cold weather will get even colder next week! yikes!
I an X-Navy myself, but worked the flight decks on aircraft carriers training pilots flying A-7 Corsairs during Vietnam. nice way to grow up as a young kid and appreciate what we have as Americans!

 

[Nodak]

yes! It seems that the weather is always nicer when you cross the Missouri River bridge into Mandan, where the West begins! Actually, I sort of like extreme cold and nasty winters as long as there is a break or two in the weather to allow a little out door activity. looks like our cold weather will get even colder next week! yikes!
I an X-Navy myself, but worked the flight decks on aircraft carriers training pilots flying A-7 Corsairs during Vietnam. nice way to grow up as a young kid and appreciate what we have as Americans!

Winters here are a lot nicer than where I lived before retirement; I was in Cavalier about 20 miles from Canada and 20 from Minnesota. I worked for the DoD as a software engineer at Cavalier AFS.

 

[Dcharles]

Winters here are a lot nicer than where I lived before retirement; I was in Cavalier about 20 miles from Canada and 20 from Minnesota. I worked for the DoD as a software engineer at Cavalier AFS.

hey Nodak.......I have been trying to get out to do some ice fishing but it is too blasted cold! I heard the forecast for this weekend and the first part of next week is not good. The temps will plummet to where some places the high will not get much above -20 below zero, and that doesn't account for the nasty windchills in the -60 below range. I can't keep the ice holes clear long enough to fish very long! it has been a rather chilly winter thus far in the Dakotas.

 

[Chuckanut]

Smoked squirrels, then pulled squirrel...

For what it is worth, I heard that WalMart had to pull some Donkey meat of the shelves in China because it was contaminated with fox.

 

[Nodak]

hey Nodak.......I have been trying to get out to do some ice fishing but it is too blasted cold! I heard the forecast for this weekend and the first part of next week is not good. The temps will plummet to where some places the high will not get much above -20 below zero, and that doesn't account for the nasty windchills in the -60 below range. I can't keep the ice holes clear long enough to fish very long! it has been a rather chilly winter thus far in the Dakotas.

This is my 3rd winter in this area and this is the coldest so far. However, it's still a lot nicer than the north end of the Red River Valley. It's usually 10 to 20 degrees colder there. This morning was -22 here and -32 there.

 

[Kimo]

This is my 3rd winter in this area and this is the coldest so far. However, it's still a lot nicer than the north end of the Red River Valley. It's usually 10 to 20 degrees colder there. This morning was -22 here and -32 there.

This is all meant in fun......as I read your post I am trying to determine what the difference is between -22 and -32

(I live in Hawaii and have since 1980)

Like I said, all in fun.....but I almost spit out my coffee!!!!

 

[Walt34]

It could be worse and usually is somewhere else. Winnipeg is literally colder than Mars.

Winnipeg deep freeze as cold as uninhabited planet - Manitoba - CBC News

 

[Meadbh]

It could be worse and usually is somewhere else. Winnipeg is literally colder than Mars.

Winnipeg deep freeze as cold as uninhabited planet - Manitoba - CBC News

I lived in Winnipeg for over 20 years. I was quite happy there except for the winters. But that's why I moved.

 

[Nodak]

This is all meant in fun......as I read your post I am trying to determine what the difference is between -22 and -32

(I live in Hawaii and have since 1980)

Like I said, all in fun.....but I almost spit out my coffee!!!!

Believe me, that 10 degrees is noticeable. I don't know what it would be like to not have extremely cold winters. I've never spent a winter south of the 45th parallel. The Red River Valley is a low area and the cold air settles into it and stays there. Snow that falls after the middle of November is going to be there until early April and I have seen it snow in mid May.

 

[Kimo]

I am exactly the opposite, I don't know what it would be like to have cold winters. I lived in Southern California before moving to Hawaii.

Here, if the temperature gets to 65 it makes the top news story. I think in 34 years it has gotten there two or three times....(At least in Honolulu, but there are parts of the other Islands that can and do get cold, I have just never liver on any outer Islands)

 

[Fishingmn]

From local Twin Cities weather site - Highs by Monday will be in the teens below zero with lows in the metro between -20 to -25 with very dangerous wind chills. This may be the kind of cold that caused school delays and closures. This kind of cold has not been seen here since 1996.

 

[Dcharles]

I am exactly the opposite, I don't know what it would be like to have cold winters. I lived in Southern California before moving to Hawaii.

Here, if the temperature gets to 65 it makes the top news story. I think in 34 years it has gotten there two or three times....(At least in Honolulu, but there are parts of the other Islands that can and do get cold, I have just never liver on any outer Islands)

Wow! We will not see 65 for maybe 4 months! ha! Someone asked what the difference is with 10 degrees colder. It is noticeable. I recall at -40 below, my old pickup seat was froze solid, like sitting on a solid block of ice. We need to plug in the vehicles so a engine block heater will keep the engine oil from being froze and allow the battery to turn the engine over.. At -40 below. your rubber tires are frozen so the first mile or two driving can be bumpy as the flat part resting on the ground takes a number of rotations to work out the flat spots. A lineman I called out to work in the middle of the night was late getting to work as his rubber tires on his pickup broke the bead seal and his 4 tires went flat! things break more easily and you can hear a twig snap half a mile away if the wind is not blowing. If the wind blows at those temps, you cannot put on enough cloths, boots or gloves to stay warm for many minutes. leaving your stalled car to try walking to shelter will be fatal if you must go more than a quarter mile. Forget using electric cars at this extreme as the Battery power will be reduced 50% and probably couldn't power a heater to keep your windshield defrosted, not to mention power the vehicle forward. Electric cars would cease to move in short order. Give me some of that Global Warming!

 

[Kimo]

Wow! We will not see 65 for maybe 4 months! ha! Someone asked what the difference is with 10 degrees colder. It is noticeable. I recall at -40 below, my old pickup seat was froze solid, like sitting on a solid block of ice. We need to plug in the vehicles so a engine block heater will keep the engine oil from being froze and allow the battery to turn the engine over.. At -40 below. your rubber tires are frozen so the first mile or two driving can be bumpy as the flat part resting on the ground takes a number of rotations to work out the flat spots. A lineman I called out to work in the middle of the night was late getting to work as his rubber tires on his pickup broke the bead seal and his 4 tires went flat! things break more easily and you can hear a twig snap half a mile away if the wind is not blowing. If the wind blows at those temps, you cannot put on enough cloths, boots or gloves to stay warm for many minutes. leaving your stalled car to try walking to shelter will be fatal if you must go more than a quarter mile. Forget using electric cars at this extreme as the Battery power will be reduced 50% and probably couldn't power a heater to keep your windshield defrosted, not to mention power the vehicle forward. Electric cars would cease to move in short order. Give me some of that Global Warming!

Hold on....I need to go turn my air conditioner up, it is getting to warm in this room...

 

[Dcharles]

I hate drilling through more than three feet of ice in the river in our backyard. It becomes difficult to pull the ice auger out of the hole with the ice chips filling the flutes. I believe this winter, I will need to use the auger extension as the ice wi ll probably get 40 inches thick or more. You could literally drive a full train across the river when ice gets that thick........there are some historical photos of tracks laid over the Missouri River in the cold winters and trains moving across the ice. Cool!

 

[Walt34]

At -40 below. your rubber tires are frozen so the first mile or two driving can be bumpy as the flat part resting on the ground takes a number of rotations to work out the flat spots. A lineman I called out to work in the middle of the night was late getting to work as his rubber tires on his pickup broke the bead seal and his 4 tires went flat!

I hope I never have to experience cold like that. We saw -5°F once and that was enough. Call me a wuss, but this is a guy who doesn't come out of long sleeves until the temp hits 80°.