Windchill values in the -50C range next week

[Dicentra]

I like winter.  And I don't mind cold.  But JEEPERS.  They're saying that we could see temperatures next week that are the coldest we've seen in years.  It's just hard on everything.  My internet has been off and on all day and I think it's probably due to equipment troubles at the provider's end.  It didn't warm up past -25C all day today and that's without windchill.  It's currently -38C and -43C with windchill added in.

There's my little pity-party for this evening. 😉  I know the Southern hemisphere folks are dealing with the exact opposite.  If anyone else has weather-related whines, feel free to whine away. 😄

[klmama]

It's cold here, too, but not like where you are.  Brrr!  I went to put on my Cuddle Duds this morning, only to find that they weren't in the drawer.  I'm sure I loaned them to one of the dc last winter, but apparently they never made it back to me.  The dc claim no knowledge of them.  😕

[Arctic Bunny]

I always feel like we must live nearby.... do you have 70km/h winds to look forward to?

[scoutingmom]

Similar cold weather here....

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, Seasider too said:

I don’t know how you live there, dicentra. You northern folk amaze me. I’d crawl under my bed and curl into a fetal position if the temperature outside were that low. I readily admit I’m a wimp when it comes to being cold, but subzero.... you are made of tough stuff!

Same. I'm sorry, but that weather is trying to kill you. Like, no joke, if someone was outside and made a small mistake they could die from the cold! People were saying how terrible hot it is in Australia, but you know what? All you need to survive it is an umbrella or sunshade and water to drink. To survive sub zero temps takes a whole heck of a lot more than some bottled water. I find it terrifying, actually. Like...why would humans live there, lol? The outside is trying to kill you!

Why yes, I AM a Florida native, how could you tell?

[moonflower]

If your power goes out and it is 110F outside, you are IMO in worse shape than if the power goes out and it's -20F outside provided you have a woodstove (which everyone in a potentially -20F climate should have, imo, if at all possible).

However, I was raised in south Texas and I agree that heat is preferable to cold.  Especially non-sunny cold.

[Liz CA]

This sure puts things in perspective. I've been going around saying it's cold when we have F42 night time temps. We are definitely not used to a wide range of temperatures.

Do you have a wood stove? If so, I'd be stacking wood next to the closest door. This is what we did when we lived in an area of CA where it snowed now and then but we never had temps like F-50. 

Edited January 26, 2019 by Liz CA

[Carrie12345]

If my conversions are right, we’re looking at wind chills *almost as bad next week. Not quite that low (hopefully), but definitely serious. We have a fireplace, but that’s nowhere near as efficient as a wood stove, and dh will not be around to trade shifts if that’s necessary. 😞. There are also some thing on the schedule that are unlikely to cancel and I won’t leave the kids home with the fireplace burning. So here’s to keeping power!!!

[maize]

Y'all really need to get together with the Australians and mix your weather together.

[MEmama]

It used to get that cold when we lived in Minnesota; I've wondered if it still does.

I loved it. But it was a super dry cold and always came with bright sunshine, so it felt much less bitter than in a more humid environment. We got really good at telling the temperature from the changes in the squeak of the snow. I super loved the glittery ice crystals in the air on our nighttime walks. 

[wintermom]

We are getting such a mix of super cold temps (-25C), then warmer (just below freezing) temps, all with high winds. I can really notice the increased moisture in the air with the warmer temps, and it feels worse on the face. The constant dry air is murder on the skin, though!  

Managing icy roads has been a big challenge, as the salt that's regularly used here doesn't work when it's too cold.  I think we've had a record number of cars in the ditch this month.

[DawnM]

Yuck.  I couldn't live there.  My friend is in Chicago and posted similar temps for next week.

[PrincessMommy]

ugh.  I couldn't take that either.   We're right on the edge of the "winter vortex" so our temps at night will only be in the single digits.   Last winter was hard on me, cold wise.  I feel like we've gotten a break this winter with only a few days where the temps are below 30* 

[KungFuPanda]

You need to move THIS week!

[Faith-manor]

This has confirmed my desire to retire elsewhere. I don't like extreme heat though so at this point we are looking at maybe Tennessee if we don't leave the country. Jamaica....that's my speed. Even when it gets warm, the ocean breeze makes you feel comfy. I could handle the heat there.

[Dicentra]

16 hours ago, arctic_bunny said:

I always feel like we must live nearby.... do you have 70km/h winds to look forward to?

We're in a river valley and not on the prairies so we don't tend to get the howling winds often.  I went to university in Winnipeg, though, and I have very vivid memories of walking to school from my apartment down Pembina Hwy. and trying to breathe in that wind.  It just takes your breath away!

13 hours ago, Liz CA said:

This sure puts things in perspective. I've been going around saying it's cold when we have F42 night time temps. We are definitely not used to a wide range of temperatures.

Do you have a wood stove? If so, I'd be stacking wood next to the closest door. This is what we did when we lived in an area of CA where it snowed now and then but we never had temps like F-50. 

We actually don't have a wood stove but the power rarely goes out from cold alone. 🙂  I'd like a wood stove but I can't convince DH to put one in.  Your insurance costs sky-rocket and it is kind of messy.  Sigh.  The practical seems to outweigh the romantic. 😄   If I lived where we got heavy (read: warm-ish and wet) snow, then I'd be more concerned with power outages from snow bringing down the power lines.  The temp came up to about -15C last week and it snowed but it's a dry, light, fluffy snow which just blows around and doesn't stick to tree branches or power lines.

10 hours ago, MEmama said:

It used to get that cold when we lived in Minnesota; I've wondered if it still does.

I loved it. But it was a super dry cold and always came with bright sunshine, so it felt much less bitter than in a more humid environment. We got really good at telling the temperature from the changes in the squeak of the snow. I super loved the glittery ice crystals in the air on our nighttime walks. 

I think mid to southern Minnesota doesn't usually see these kinds of temps but northern Minnesota still does.  I'm in a Canadian town that is right on the border with the town in Minnesota that's billed as the "Icebox of the Nation". 🙂

7 hours ago, wintermom said:

We are getting such a mix of super cold temps (-25C), then warmer (just below freezing) temps, all with high winds. I can really notice the increased moisture in the air with the warmer temps, and it feels worse on the face. The constant dry air is murder on the skin, though!  

Managing icy roads has been a big challenge, as the salt that's regularly used here doesn't work when it's too cold.  I think we've had a record number of cars in the ditch this month.

The dry air is killing my skin!  We have horses so we HAVE to be outside in this weather and my face is so dry!  I also sometimes pull my gloves off because something will require more manual dexterity than I can get with gloves on and so my hands are dry, too.  And yes - lots of folks don't understand that salt on roads under about -20 to -25C does nothing.  Sand needs to be mixed with the salt for those temps which is usually what the road crews here do.  They know what they're about. 🙂

Edited January 26, 2019 by Dicentra

[Lady Marmalade]

These numbers are crazy! I live very near the darkest blue which right now has a fabulous -59.  The weather guy said that he thinks these numbers are probably a little inflated, but that the reality is they are probably not far off.  And these temps come AFTER the blizzard we're supposed to get Sunday and Monday.  I hate winter. 

[Dicentra]

But now it says that tonight will be the coldest and the temps this coming week will be a little better.  Pfffttt...  -20C and I will run outside in a T-shirt and jeans to grab something from the garage. 😄

[Ausmumof3]

That is flopping cold!  Can you send some to us?  Not all of it just a little bit?

what is with the weather this year?  It’s gone insane!

[kbutton]

11 hours ago, MEmama said:

It used to get that cold when we lived in Minnesota; I've wondered if it still does.

I loved it. But it was a super dry cold and always came with bright sunshine, so it felt much less bitter than in a more humid environment. We got really good at telling the temperature from the changes in the squeak of the snow. I super loved the glittery ice crystals in the air on our nighttime walks. 

I am probably no longer very good at this in regard to temperature, but I often can tell if it's more or less humid by the changing squeaks, lol!

My dad used to work outdoors year-round, and he said that once it's reached -10 to -20 F, it all feels the same; I suspect that's due to colder mostly = drier even in areas where it's more humid overall. 

We had some winters that were harsh and some mild, but the winters with the most snow and coldest temps were usually the sunniest by far, and it does really help! 

Everyone here is complaining about how cold it is (it's cold for here, but not the worst it can be by far), but what's bothering me most is the cloud cover. It's always dark and cloudy here in the winter, but it's twice as bad this year, more often. We've also had tons of clouds year-round for the last 18 months, and we basically had no spring or fall in the last 18 months. It's just bounced between >80 F and <40 F for six months stretches at a time with most of the 80+ days really being 90+. Very few days have been between 40 and 80 F even when it's the right time of year for that. My parents live farther north and to the east (next state over), and they are experiencing much more cloudy and rainy weather as well even though they live in a dry county for their state. It's just very weird, and everyone is tired of it!

 

[wathe]

12 hours ago, MEmama said:

It used to get that cold when we lived in Minnesota; I've wondered if it still does.

I loved it. But it was a super dry cold and always came with bright sunshine, so it felt much less bitter than in a more humid environment. We got really good at telling the temperature from the changes in the squeak of the snow. I super loved the glittery ice crystals in the air on our nighttime walks. 

Yes.  The quality of the squeak, whether your nose sticks shut when you breath in, whether you eyelids stick shut when you blink. 

Squeaky snow only  -15C ish

Higher pitched squeak and nose sticking  -20 to -25ish

All that and eyes sticking shut -30 ish.

 

 

[Arctic Bunny]

2 hours ago, Dicentra said:

We're in a river valley and not on the prairies so we don't tend to get the howling winds often.  I went to university in Winnipeg, though, and I have very vivid memories of walking to school from my apartment down Pembina Hwy. and trying to breathe in that wind.  It just takes your breath away! 

Ah! There’s a whole province between us! We (so far) have got neither the wind nor the snow, and it’s a balmy -12!

[Jyhwkmama]

Cold weather (negative wind chills) expected in my area too this week. Blargh! When we retire we are moving to Arizona (or similar). I HATE winter.

[cjzimmer1]

3 hours ago, Lady Marmalade said:

These numbers are crazy! I live very near the darkest blue which right now has a fabulous -59.  The weather guy said that he thinks these numbers are probably a little inflated, but that the reality is they are probably not far off.  And these temps come AFTER the blizzard we're supposed to get Sunday and Monday.  I hate winter. 

I'm smack dab in the middle of the dark blue area.  We are not looking forward to next week.  I'm hoping all our activities get cancel so we can just hibernate till warms up a little ( and even 0 degrees would be a little warmer right now)

 

 

[Faith-manor]

We put in a week's worth of groceries today. It was 12 degrees when we went shopping but the wind wasn't blowing. The whole thought of needing to go out in the middle of the week when they are predicting -8 and windchills of -10 to -20 while the winds howl at 25-35 mph made me contemplate getting in the car and driving to DD's in Hunstville. However, I have work, and I am pretty sure I have to show up for it. GRRRR....at least on my day off, I WON'T have to grocery shop.

I would not be shocked if school is called off for the whole week. Michigan law, if memory serves, dictates this if the wind or real feel is -20 when the kids would be out waiting for the bus. Looks like we have a chance to hit that least Tues - Fri. We have a snowstorm/blizzard warning for Monday and it looks like visibility will be very bad. So....cue the weeping and gnashing of teeth of schools that year after year after year do not build two weeks worth of weather days into the calendar. I do not know why they do this.

[Arctic Bunny]

Just got the wind warning for 70km/h winds....

It’s still -11C, though.

Buses run until it feels like -60, and the schools never close, so the kids are probably out of luck on that front for Monday!

[Rosie_0801]

On 1/26/2019 at 4:00 PM, Seasider too said:

I don’t know how you live there, dicentra. You northern folk amaze me. I’d crawl under my bed and curl into a fetal position if the temperature outside were that low. I readily admit I’m a wimp when it comes to being cold, but subzero.... you are made of tough stuff!

 

I'm even wimpier than you. I can't believe in temperatures that low. It's not that I think anyone is lying about it, my brain just shorts out when I try to believe! 😳

[wintermom]

1 hour ago, Rosie_0801 said:

 

I'm even wimpier than you. I can't believe in temperatures that low. It's not that I think anyone is lying about it, my brain just shorts out when I try to believe! 😳

My brain shorts out when I have to go out in it!!  When you get that first blast of icy cold in your face, it literally takes your breath away.  I often wonder how on the earth people survived in this climate 100 or more years ago. 

My excuse for staying here is that my brain seems to forget all the hardships of winter when I enjoy the spring, summer and fall. It's always a shock when winter returns year after year. 😃

[fairfarmhand]

17 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

This has confirmed my desire to retire elsewhere. I don't like extreme heat though so at this point we are looking at maybe Tennessee if we don't leave the country. Jamaica....that's my speed. Even when it gets warm, the ocean breeze makes you feel comfy. I could handle the heat there.

So I’m in Tennessee. I’m already whining about this weeks forecast—2-4 inches of snow or ice, whichever it feels like doing and temps in the teens. 

The good though is that it will be up to 50 by the weekend so we just have to survive Tuesday through Thursday. And it’s not like this all winter.

but I’m not looking forward to it. We have animals out there and sitting inside with a cup of hot cocoa isn’t an option. And I find it hard to breathe when it’s so very cold. I don’t know how people farm up north.

[ktgrok]

3 hours ago, StellaM said:

Heat waves are actually deadly, especially in cities, and especially when night time temps don't drop. 

Extreme heat is not something you can just beat with an umbrella. 

However, I'm not sure I'd like those minus temps either! Extremes at either end aren't great for us.

Oh, I know...mostly in cities. I was meaning more like in a "can you survive in the wilderness with just a few options" kind of thing. Like, will venturing outside kill you. Inside, in a not well ventilated place with no air conditioning, that's a whole different story. 

2 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:

 

I'm even wimpier than you. I can't believe in temperatures that low. It's not that I think anyone is lying about it, my brain just shorts out when I try to believe! 😳

That's kind of where I am. 

[maize]

Here's one study that looked at the comparative deadliness of heat vs. cold.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2015/05/20/cold-weather-deaths/27657269/

Me, I'm wimpy about both.

Edited January 27, 2019 by maize

[elegantlion]

I'm at the bottom end of the cold weather band. Windchills are supposed to be -20 to -30. People around here are not prepared for that. We generally get maybe a week of - windchills every winter, but generally no less than -10. 

I really hope they cancel or delay college because there is a lot of distant between some of these buildings. This is not the kind of school where you automatically put a North Face parka on your clothing list either. 

[mommyoffive]

We are supposed to get windchills of -65 this week.  That is insane.  Way way to cold. 

[Mergath]

17 hours ago, Dicentra said:

We're in a river valley and not on the prairies so we don't tend to get the howling winds often.  I went to university in Winnipeg, though, and I have very vivid memories of walking to school from my apartment down Pembina Hwy. and trying to breathe in that wind.  It just takes your breath away!

We actually don't have a wood stove but the power rarely goes out from cold alone. 🙂  I'd like a wood stove but I can't convince DH to put one in.  Your insurance costs sky-rocket and it is kind of messy.  Sigh.  The practical seems to outweigh the romantic. 😄   If I lived where we got heavy (read: warm-ish and wet) snow, then I'd be more concerned with power outages from snow bringing down the power lines.  The temp came up to about -15C last week and it snowed but it's a dry, light, fluffy snow which just blows around and doesn't stick to tree branches or power lines.

I think mid to southern Minnesota doesn't usually see these kinds of temps but northern Minnesota still does.  I'm in a Canadian town that is right on the border with the town in Minnesota that's billed as the "Icebox of the Nation". 🙂

The dry air is killing my skin!  We have horses so we HAVE to be outside in this weather and my face is so dry!  I also sometimes pull my gloves off because something will require more manual dexterity than I can get with gloves on and so my hands are dry, too.  And yes - lots of folks don't understand that salt on roads under about -20 to -25C does nothing.  Sand needs to be mixed with the salt for those temps which is usually what the road crews here do.  They know what they're about. 🙂

 

Ahh, I think I know where you live. I spent the first twenty years of my life in the Icebox. 😉 Yes, it does get colder there than in southern Minnesota. I live in west central Minnesota now, and we're supposed to get actual temps down to -30 on Tuesday. I'm not sure how cold it will get with the windchill. 

I laugh a little bit when people freak out over this kind of cold. Where I grew up, they might have canceled recess at the school for that kind of cold, but only if they were feeling generous, lol. It was so weird when I first moved away for college and the cold didn't make my nostrils freeze every time I took a breath. 😂

[history-fan]

Woke up to -20 actual temp without windchill with winter storm warnings for this noon till tomorrow. I can handle these temps better than extreme heat and humidity, just not acclimated to the high temps. They might delay school start times by an hour but usually don’t cancel.

[Dicentra]

6 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:

 

I'm even wimpier than you. I can't believe in temperatures that low. It's not that I think anyone is lying about it, my brain just shorts out when I try to believe! 😳

Just for you, Rosie: 😉

I took a screen shot of the temps last night before I went to bed.  I even put them in F for everyone. 😄  Not that different in Celsius, though - it was -42C with a windchill of -48C.

4 hours ago, fairfarmhand said:

but I’m not looking forward to it. We have animals out there and sitting inside with a cup of hot cocoa isn’t an option. And I find it hard to breathe when it’s so very cold. I don’t know how people farm up north.

 

We have a lot of insulated Carhartt clothing and Sorel boots. 😉 🙂 You should see the winter coats on my horses - thick and furry.  And they can go into the barn or in the trees to get out of the wind.  Lots of dry hay keeps them warm and they actually get kind of frisky when it gets cold.  But yeah - my nostrils do freeze shut when I go out to do chores.

2 hours ago, Mergath said:

 

Ahh, I think I know where you live. I spent the first twenty years of my life in the Icebox. 😉 Yes, it does get colder there than in southern Minnesota. I live in west central Minnesota now, and we're supposed to get actual temps down to -30 on Tuesday. I'm not sure how cold it will get with the windchill. 

I laugh a little bit when people freak out over this kind of cold. Where I grew up, they might have canceled recess at the school for that kind of cold, but only if they were feeling generous, lol. It was so weird when I first moved away for college and the cold didn't make my nostrils freeze every time I took a breath. 😂

 

Yeah - schools are never cancelled here.  They now have a policy on our side of the river that students have indoor recess if it's below -25C, though.  I don't remember that. 😄  And I went to school in Winnipeg so my nostrils still froze shut.  Apparently, I just can't bear to leave this kind of climate. 😂

[dirty ethel rackham]

20 hours ago, Lady Marmalade said:

These numbers are crazy! I live very near the darkest blue which right now has a fabulous -59.  The weather guy said that he thinks these numbers are probably a little inflated, but that the reality is they are probably not far off.  And these temps come AFTER the blizzard we're supposed to get Sunday and Monday.  I hate winter. 

I'm at the edge of the dark blue.  Silly me.  I took a volunteer shift on Wednesday.  I figure that I am probably a little heartier than others with a reliable car in the garage, so it is more likely that I can get there than some other people.  But it will be nasty. 

To walk the dog, I have to wear my winter running tights under another pair of pants, 2 pairs of wool socks, an Under Armor cold gear shirt with a fleece over it and my down coat, a neck gator (wish I had a balaclava), a hat under my hood, 2 pairs of gloves and heavy boots.  Sometimes, my glasses fog up and I am blind, but if I take off my glasses, my eyelashes freeze together and I can't open my eyes.  I've been getting a bloody nose in the morning from the nostrils freezing shut.  (And I have to time what I put on when so that I can get the Musher's Secret on the pup, but not have enough time for him to lick it off, but that  don't sweat before we head out.  And sometimes, I spend almost as much time bundling up as I do walking the dog.  He's not much for wind, but isn't bothered by cold.  

Last week, we had some freezing rain and I had about 2 inches of smooth ice on my driveway.  I spent 3 hours clearing so that I could walk on it without falling (even in my Yaktrax.)  

5 hours ago, fairfarmhand said:

So I’m in Tennessee. I’m already whining about this weeks forecast—2-4 inches of snow or ice, whichever it feels like doing and temps in the teens. 

The good though is that it will be up to 50 by the weekend so we just have to survive Tuesday through Thursday. And it’s not like this all winter.

but I’m not looking forward to it. We have animals out there and sitting inside with a cup of hot cocoa isn’t an option. And I find it hard to breathe when it’s so very cold. I don’t know how people farm up north.

My sister moved to a rural area outside of Nashville about 8 years ago.  One of her first winters there, they had freezing rain and snow.  She lives on a hill and her driveway goes into a blind curve of the road.  She couldn't leave her house for 10 days.  She would have needed crampons and an ice ax, just to get the mail so she wouldn't slide into the street.  It made me glad to live in a flat area where I can shovel and snow plows can clear the roads.  

[Tina]

On 1/26/2019 at 5:30 AM, MEmama said:

It used to get that cold when we lived in Minnesota; I've wondered if it still does.

I loved it. But it was a super dry cold and always came with bright sunshine, so it felt much less bitter than in a more humid environment. We got really good at telling the temperature from the changes in the squeak of the snow. I super loved the glittery ice crystals in the air on our nighttime walks. 

It still does. This is the week for it!  :)

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

t if I take off my glasses, my eyelashes freeze together and I can't open my eyes.  I've been getting a bloody nose in the morning from the nostrils freezing shut. 

I cannot fathom how places where that happens are considered fit for human habitation. The outside is trying to KILL YOU!!! 

If anyone needs to escape, I've got room. We'll inflate some air mattresses or something, lol. My lord....air that basically keeps you from breathing or seeing and MAKES YOU BLEED is not okay!!

Reading this thread is like reading The Long Cold Winter - horrifying. 

[dirty ethel rackham]

33 minutes ago, Ktgrok said:

I cannot fathom how places where that happens are considered fit for human habitation. The outside is trying to KILL YOU!!! 

If anyone needs to escape, I've got room. We'll inflate some air mattresses or something, lol. My lord....air that basically keeps you from breathing or seeing and MAKES YOU BLEED is not okay!!

Reading this thread is like reading The Long Cold Winter - horrifying. 

This is why:

https://me.me/i/the-air-hurts-my-face-this-is-why-ilive-where-7614790

Fortunately, these spells are pretty short-lived where I am.  

And it's nothing like The Long Winter.  We have food.  We have heat.  And we don't need button oil light, because we have electricity, TV, books, etc.  I did a project with my kids about the amenities we have compared to the Ingalls.  

[ktgrok]

13 minutes ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

This is why:

https://me.me/i/the-air-hurts-my-face-this-is-why-ilive-where-7614790

Fortunately, these spells are pretty short-lived where I am.  

And it's nothing like The Long Winter.  We have food.  We have heat.  And we don't need button oil light, because we have electricity, TV, books, etc.  I did a project with my kids about the amenities we have compared to the Ingalls.  

LOL, I can promise I've never had those other situations happen. Now, we do have palmetto bugs...those are pretty terrible. But they won't make you bleed or stick your eyes/nose shut 🙂

And I am very glad you have all those things.....praying the power doesn't go out anywhere during this! 

[SeaConquest]

1 hour ago, Ktgrok said:

I cannot fathom how places where that happens are considered fit for human habitation. The outside is trying to KILL YOU!!! 

If anyone needs to escape, I've got room. We'll inflate some air mattresses or something, lol. My lord....air that basically keeps you from breathing or seeing and MAKES YOU BLEED is not okay!!

Reading this thread is like reading The Long Cold Winter - horrifying. 

 

I'm with you. I don't understand how anyone can live in these places voluntarily. Like, why?????? RUN!!!!!

It is in the 80s in San Diego at the moment. I had the AC running yesterday. I can offer a couch in our RV. It isn't much, but at least you can use the pool if you want.

ETA: And no bugs, gators, or snakes that come to your home. 

Edited January 27, 2019 by SeaConquest

[fairfarmhand]

3 hours ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

I'm at the edge of the dark blue.  Silly me.  I took a volunteer shift on Wednesday.  I figure that I am probably a little heartier than others with a reliable car in the garage, so it is more likely that I can get there than some other people.  But it will be nasty. 

To walk the dog, I have to wear my winter running tights under another pair of pants, 2 pairs of wool socks, an Under Armor cold gear shirt with a fleece over it and my down coat, a neck gator (wish I had a balaclava), a hat under my hood, 2 pairs of gloves and heavy boots.  Sometimes, my glasses fog up and I am blind, but if I take off my glasses, my eyelashes freeze together and I can't open my eyes.  I've been getting a bloody nose in the morning from the nostrils freezing shut.  (And I have to time what I put on when so that I can get the Musher's Secret on the pup, but not have enough time for him to lick it off, but that  don't sweat before we head out.  And sometimes, I spend almost as much time bundling up as I do walking the dog.  He's not much for wind, but isn't bothered by cold.  

Last week, we had some freezing rain and I had about 2 inches of smooth ice on my driveway.  I spent 3 hours clearing so that I could walk on it without falling (even in my Yaktrax.)  

My sister moved to a rural area outside of Nashville about 8 years ago.  One of her first winters there, they had freezing rain and snow.  She lives on a hill and her driveway goes into a blind curve of the road.  She couldn't leave her house for 10 days.  She would have needed crampons and an ice ax, just to get the mail so she wouldn't slide into the street.  It made me glad to live in a flat area where I can shovel and snow plows can clear the roads.  

Our area often gets less snow and more ice. And that’s scary. And many municipalities don’t have the equipment to take care of the roads properly and nobody has snow tires.

so yeah there is a reason we shut things down in severe winter weather.

its not as cold as some places but we’re definitely not equipped for it.

[dirty ethel rackham]

8 minutes ago, fairfarmhand said:

Our area often gets less snow and more ice. And that’s scary. And many municipalities don’t have the equipment to take care of the roads properly and nobody has snow tires.

so yeah there is a reason we shut things down in severe winter weather.

its not as cold as some places but we’re definitely not equipped for it.

Yeah, at least I can get out of my house.  My sister said that her freezer was nearly empty and they were running out of things to eat.  Having grown up near Chicago, she was used to harsh winters and thought that a milder climate would be a piece of cake.  Rude awakening.   

[Mergath]

38 minutes ago, SeaConquest said:

 

I'm with you. I don't understand how anyone can live in these places voluntarily. Like, why?????? RUN!!!!!

It is in the 80s in San Diego at the moment. I had the AC running yesterday. I can offer a couch in our RV. It isn't much, but at least you can use the pool if you want.

ETA: And no bugs, gators, or snakes that come to your home. 

 

I can't speak for other states, but we stay in Minnesota for the low cost of living, relatively good job situation, and the socialism. 😁  

It is a little annoying though when you can develop mild frostbite in the time it takes you to bring a cart to the cart corral at the grocery store. We get a horrific windchill on the prairie sometimes and I never remember to bring my gloves when I run errands. When it's -40 with the windchill, it feels a little bit like acid is eating away at your skin. Good times. 😂

I had to run to the hardware store yesterday and there was some guy on a street corner, naked except for a pair of athletic shorts, and he was dancing. I kid you not. I think it must have been a dare. I'm pretty sure he was doing the macarena. But to answer your question, the people who live in places like this may also be just a little bit insane.

 

[SquirrellyMama]

Our wind chill on Tuesday is expected to be around -57F. Really hoping the kids get a 2 hour late start for school.

[Ausmumof3]

22 hours ago, StellaM said:

Heat waves are actually deadly, especially in cities, and especially when night time temps don't drop. 

Extreme heat is not something you can just beat with an umbrella. 

However, I'm not sure I'd like those minus temps either! Extremes at either end aren't great for us.

Yeah I started posting this and forum ate my post.

not that it’s a contest but just so No one underestimates the risk and gets themselves in trouble.

[Ausmumof3]

18 hours ago, maize said:

Here's one study that looked at the comparative deadliness of heat vs. cold.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2015/05/20/cold-weather-deaths/27657269/

Me, I'm wimpy about both.

Or here’s an overview of the overall discussion

https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/1/17/16851398/cold-snap-heat-wave-deaths-human-health

a lot depends on what’s actually being measured.

[Rosie_0801]

22 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

Oh, I know...mostly in cities. I was meaning more like in a "can you survive in the wilderness with just a few options" kind of thing. Like, will venturing outside kill you.

 

Oh, venturing outside in the heat can kill you. Not as fast at the cold will, but there are tourist deaths in the news every year, and the occasional death of someone who lives out Woop Woop and knows what can happen.

"Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun!"

[ktgrok]

3 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:

 

Oh, venturing outside in the heat can kill you. Not as fast at the cold will, but there are tourist deaths in the news every year, and the occasional death of someone who lives out Woop Woop and knows what can happen.

"Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun!"

 

1 hour ago, Arctic Mama said:

I would have thought heat was deadlier, just because it’s so much easier to add layers or burn things than it is to cool down beyond a certain point.  That article was fascinating!

generally, if you sit your butt down in the shade, and have adequate water and can stay hydrated you should be okay, unless there are underlying medical factors. Most of the heat related deaths I hear of are elderly with heart or lung problems, and usually trapped in a building without adequate ventilation versus outdoors in the shade. 

Sitting down somewhere with or without water in -45 F will probably mean you die. At least, that's how I picture it.