It looks like much of the continental USA will be in the grip of very, very cold temperatures over the next few days. I hope and trust all of you have stocked up on hot chocolate, soup and firewood, and are prepared to keep yourselves warm. I'm not sure whether our power grid is robust enough to withstand this, particularly given all the Christmas lights strung around many of our homes. In total, they must add significantly to the load on power stations at this time of year.
For those who've never thought about cold as a genuine threat to life, consider this wind chill chart that's currently circulating on social media (clickit to biggit).
Given that strong winds are forecast to accompany this Arctic incursion, that should be all the encouragement you need to stay indoors, out of the cold.
If that isn't enough for the manly men among us . . .
Peter
FYI I reside just west of Winnipeg Manitoba Canada (Garden center of Canada), current temp outside is -26 C (-15F) in a still wind. Current (06:30 and dark) Wind chill is - 36 C (-33 F). Yes Matilda it is cold.
ReplyDeleteBut, for my vehicle it will remain - 26, no matter how much wind. Wind chill is only useful if your trying to heat something in the open.
Around the world, despite what the MSM says, cold is the big killer, not heat.
To all my American friends, stay safe, stay warm, stay out of the wind.
Around here, the forecast shows the arctic blast arriving Thursday night - temperature dropping from 46 to 11, and wind increasing from nothing to 18 MPH, in nothing flat.
ReplyDeleteSupposed to resume more normal winter weather for the area after a couple of days.
So, getting outdoors chores and shopping done today and tomorrow. Coleman stove on standby, just in case.
Alas, snow has disappeared from the forecast.
Going to be well into the 50's when the precipitation makes its way through here. All we have to worry about is most of southern New England being turned into a giant skating rink when it freezes over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteAround here, the coldest morning is forecast to be Christmas Eve at around 34 and Christmas morning will be 35. Winds will be 10 to 15 which is about as close to normal, everyday as it gets.
ReplyDeleteNot exactly beach weather, but not dangerous.
Our second Christmas in Central Florida was the record coldest ever, at 21.
here is one forecast for Xmas eve.
ReplyDeleteScary to say the least.
https://www.windy.com/-Temperature-temp?temp,2022122415,38.737,-86.309,5
Doug
Dropping to below freezing over the weekend, so the stray cat that adopted us will be moved - forcibly if needed - onto our back porch where the temp stays above 40 with the heaters. And we'll need the heaters anyway to avoid having to move 13 large bottles of water into the house.
ReplyDeleteBut I am not looking forward to the possibility of snow at Christmas here in North Florida.
We already had 14 inches of snow and 11 degree temps. Supposed to start warming up a bit and by Monday after Christmas be 58 degrees. Woohoo! Shorts weather.
ReplyDeleteOops. Forgot to point out Pacific NW.
ReplyDeleteGah! Should think of everything I want to say before I post. Saw -91 at boot camp in Great Lakes, IL in 1983. 40ish below, 60 mph wind off the lake. Going outside prohibited except for meals, meals optional. In boot camp.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading The Worst Journey In The World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard about his place on the second Scott expedition to the South Pole. He mentions they had -77 degrees on several occasions and worried when it warmed up to -35 degrees because that meant blizzards.
ReplyDeleteI may have picked the wrong book to read this week.
Gonna be cold in N. Texas too, but its "Texas cold" not Wisconsin cold!
ReplyDeleteSomeone ask Al Gore to send some global warming....oh, that's right we don't call it that anymore since everywhere started getting colder.
We haven't been above freezing for a week, above 0 for a few days. Clearing the driveway this morning it was -10. Supposed to be -20 tomorrow and between those figures until the weekend. Expected windchill will be -54. Luckily, we're in Montana's banana belt so we're missing out on the worst cold. I did break out my warmest winter coat on Monday, the one that too warm if we're above 10 degrees.
ReplyDeleteHere in the Copper Basin Alaska I had -31F this morning and as low as -40 F two mornings ago and highs -20 or so. Some in the area have reported lower temps at their location. Chicken Alaska had -62 as I understand it on a Weather Service thermometer! The problem peeing in real arctic cold is getting the apparatus out from under long johns, jeans and insulated coveralls. The ladies have a bigger problem!
ReplyDeleteSouthern AZ here, walking around in a t-shirt wondering what all the noise is about. 70f right now.
ReplyDelete