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Post by MikeH on Jan 4, 2014 3:47:41 GMT -5
I have been out in actual -50 F still air temps, the supposed wind-chill does not feel, even close to the real thing. It's a precautionary, model-derived value rather than an real value. 14°F isn't too bad but with a 20 mph wind it feels like -4°F. It's not so much the feeling but the increasing danger of hypothermia. Increased wind causes body heat loss. And here, if the wind is out of the north, it's particularly dangerous.
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Post by richardw on Jan 4, 2014 13:01:51 GMT -5
Talking of precautionary,you people who live in areas of such extremes it must be second nature to always be prepared when those extremes can so life threatening,but for us here with our comparatively benign climate its easy to be complacent.I remember blade shearing on a sheep station high up in the Southern Alps,one evening two workmates decided they were going to drive to the nearest pub 30 km away to get on the booze,it was the middle of winter and they only went down to the pub in jeans and tshirts,2,00 in the morning drunk while on the way back the car broke down,it was a clear calm night of about -18Cdeg,one fella stayed in the car while the other ran for help,he managed to keep warm by running but the other guy was close to death when his mate managed to get a rescue crew out to pick him up.
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Post by blackox on Jan 5, 2014 21:25:21 GMT -5
-17*F here this morning, warming up to -2*F as the highest temp for the entire day. -40*F predicted for Tuesday, that would be a new record in my area. I do not know your area, but if the sky is clear, dress warmly, and go for a late night walk. I have found such nights can be incredibly fascinating some times. I love the sound of snow crunching under foot in sub-zero weather plus it is not slippery. Ohio, U.S.A. Not likely to see the northern lights from this far south, but I'm sure I'll see something! I love that kind of snow too, but have learned to deal with ice. The duck-yard turns into a virtual skating rink in the winter. That can't stop me from disliking it, however. Now it's supposed to be 40* below tomorrow and the day after.
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Post by steev on Jan 5, 2014 21:36:21 GMT -5
Increased wind does indeed cause heat loss, but when in an enclosed area, flaming it can recapture most of the heat.
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Post by blackox on Jan 5, 2014 21:40:37 GMT -5
Talking of precautionary,you people who live in areas of such extremes it must be second nature to always be prepared when those extremes can so life threatening,but for us here with our comparatively benign climate its easy to be complacent.I remember blade shearing on a sheep station high up in the Southern Alps,one evening two workmates decided they were going to drive to the nearest pub 30 km away to get on the booze,it was the middle of winter and they only went down to the pub in jeans and tshirts,2,00 in the morning drunk while on the way back the car broke down,it was a clear calm night of about -18Cdeg,one fella stayed in the car while the other ran for help,he managed to keep warm by running but the other guy was close to death when his mate managed to get a rescue crew out to pick him up. At least your workmates had some alcohol in their bellies to heat them up a little bit! We try to stay prepared for just about anything, it's important to be ready for it. I'd rather deal with frostbite than heatstroke.
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Post by RpR on Jan 7, 2014 11:55:02 GMT -5
-9 F at 10:49
Sometimes we forget. Two nights ago it was -22 F around ten o"clock. I had come from the gym and as I lose heat slowly, when I left I had removed my long-johns, had nothing but a sleeveless T-shirt under the jacket and did not bother with putting my socks back on.
Well when I got back, before I went in I was going to start the car that had sat for over a day, without being started, outside.
It refused to start so I started working on it. Approx. forty five minutes later I got it going but by then I could feel how poorly I was dressed. I had to put the air-cleaner back on after I got it going and leaning over that engine with the radiator fan blowing -20 plus air under the jacket, mu face and by then frozen hair was uncomfortable enough I almost shut the engine off to do it but as there was no way in hell I was going to go through the misery of it maybe not restarting I persevered;
When I got into the house, aches and pains let me know how close I came to frost-bite in multiple areas especially my feet.
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Post by starry on Jan 7, 2014 13:52:29 GMT -5
-20*C right now...with wind chill feels like -34*C....man its cold
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Post by steev on Jan 7, 2014 19:51:34 GMT -5
It's so dry that now there are wildfires in Mendocino and Humboldt counties, pretty unprecedented in January, these being North Coast counties in the "wet" part of California, where they even tend to get precipitation in Summer, due to the trees catching plenty of fog.
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Post by templeton on Jan 8, 2014 16:38:32 GMT -5
I've been shivering looking at the TV reports. I can't imagine living with that kind of cold - worst I had was camping out in the powder in the mountains of Hokkaido on a crazy skiing trip one February. We guessed it was ~ -20C. Should have built a snow cave instead of the nylon tent Been a cool, dry summer here - a bonus for my tomatoes - the powdery mildew which infests my garden breaks out after hot dry spells, so no sign so far this year. Heard a report on the radio that there are early signs of El Nino for the coming austral winter - damn! My tanks are already almost empty. Just checked the BoM site(http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/), which suggests a neutral outlook for both ENSO and the Indian Ocean Dipole, so here's hoping. Richard, how does ENSO affect NZ? T
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Post by steev on Jan 9, 2014 0:52:22 GMT -5
Yeah; there was a blurb about potential El Nino in the local fish-wrap; there are occasional scattered weather forecasts, not very clear, partly cloudy; it's an art.
They seem to be backing off even the minimal rain forecasts, going to nothing through January; that's actually what I would expect: not much until mid-February, pretty normal around here. It's the lack of rain before January that's uncommon and worrying; we've missed our heavy storms and can only hope for our light Spring rain. All the field crops out in the Central Valley are growing fine, but only on irrigation from wells; that aquifer has been dropping for years.
Those out in the Arctic cold have my sympathy, but at least it looks like you'll have water. Plant those gardens when you can; California produce is prolly gonna be a tad spendy, this year.
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Post by richardw on Jan 9, 2014 2:55:41 GMT -5
T - El Nino summers are for those of us east side of the Southern Alps normally very dry with lots of wind from the west,most of the rain falls on the West Coast,been so long since the planet's had a strong El Nino event that i cant remember now it effects the winters but i think it brings more SW winds which means colder than normal,talking of cold there was fresh snow on the mountains this morning,middle of summer hey,crazy.
How deep is your aquifer steev
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Post by mayz on Jan 9, 2014 3:30:10 GMT -5
no winter until now, 11°C this morning !? it's like spring with hazelnut tree in flower and singing birds...
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Post by steev on Jan 9, 2014 12:23:05 GMT -5
I'm not sure about the Valley's aquifer.
The wells on my farm are 100, 140, and 160'.
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Post by philagardener on Jan 11, 2014 16:42:54 GMT -5
60F in Philadelphia today.
Was 2F earlier this week.
What a change!
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