It’s So Effing Cold

[Karen-W]

It was -22 F (-30 C) this morning. I fully expect we will be part of the rolling blackouts today.

They are trying to keep them to a hour increment for each area. But it doesn't always go back online immediately when it is switched back on.

If there was anyway to shut the main floor (which is the hardest to heat/cool) from the second floor which is more temp regulated, we would.

Next time you need to replace your HVAC system you might consider a zonal system. Hard to say if it would work for your home but definitely something to look into.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

A drop of rum added to your tea does make a difference!

A drop of tea in your rum sounds even better!!! lol

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

I'm trying to save the feral cats....they are still coming to get food at minus temperatures. Bless them. Yesterday I went to my garage that I left open and there was a dog in there....it startled and ran off before I could get to it. I wondered who or what had inhaled all of the cat food.

I've had this little feral kitty for the last two years. Just in the last two months she started letting us touch her and we let her inside, so she's like half domesticated now. She's snug as a bug inside. My heart breaks thinking where she'd be if we didn't 'adopt' her (or if she hung out at the wrong house when she was only weeks old) and just let her do her own feral thing while we continued to feed her these last two years. She's a cutie. She hit the kitty jackpot with us.

 

[vgerdes]

My body is totally freaking out. I guess it's because of below freezing temps for several days. It almost feels like my bones even ache sometimes! All I can say is I don't like it and never will. I hope this never happens again in the years to come!

I have lived my entire life in Minnesota, the last 20 years in the northwest part of the state. I have found that my body becomes less tolerant of the extreme cold as I age. It used to barely phase me at all, but now, yes, my bones do ache when the temps start to dip into minus territory. Hot baths and showers (as hot as you can tolerate) do help though.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

I'm from Cleveland, which not only has horrible winters but also has the lake effect snow constantly, and I've been in Miami for 6 years now. Whenever it drops down to anything below 60 (which is rare in itself), I get really cold. Can you imagine?! My body has definitely adjusted to constant hot weather and forgotten all about those nasty winters.

In all my almost 50 years, the coldest place I have EVER experienced in the US was Cleveland. In fact it was Cleveland Nationals in 2000, and I'd hail a cab from my hotel to the sports center which was only like four blocks away, but I'd tell the driver to drive me around for ten minutes until I warmed enough to get out and be prepared for the cold arena! Was that winter exceptionally cold for Cleveland, Tony? I've been to Chicago many times in January and there was never that bone chilling, instant-freezing feeling. I grew up on the east coast and would ride my bike to school in -10 weather and think nothing of it. But now being in Houston for 30+ years I am much more sensitive to freezing temps like you are.

 

[Dobre]

I'm a fan of hot baths. Warm drinks. Wear snow boots. Change into work shoes after you arrive at work. (Do whatever it takes to keep your feet dry. If I have to be out in the rain all day, I'll wear plastic bags in between two layers of socks). Gloves. (Mittens are warmer than gloves). Wear long johns under your clothes. A layer of cotton socks & a layer of wool ones over them. Warm winter hats. Tuck in your shirt. Zip your coat up before leaving the car. I also wear my gloves in the car until after the heat starts working. (And I prefer car-heating systems where heat blows directly on my feet & I can turn it on at any time). Turtlenecks & sweaters.

Mostly, stay dry. If you have to break the ice for animal water, etc. make sure you have good protective handwear and take care not to splash the cold water everywhere. That kind of thing.

There are also hand warmers & toe warmers that you can slip inside your gloves or socks, and I've also invested in electric socks for future skating events!

 

[NeilJLeonard]

I'm from Cleveland, which not only has horrible winters but also has the lake effect snow constantly, and I've been in Miami for 6 years now. Whenever it drops down to anything below 60 (which is rare in itself), I get really cold. Can you imagine?! My body has definitely adjusted to constant hot weather and forgotten all about those nasty winters.

At some point the first year I was in Miami, I think the temperature dropped down to 42 one night and the government offices were closed ahead of time the next day because people were freaking out. Meanwhile, when I was a kid, there would be feet of snow, no sidewalks plowed or iced, buses canceled, and we'd still have to find a way to school since it was near impossible to use up snow days.

I've been in SoFL since 1965, including the snow year of 1977, and I understand exactly what you mean. Right now we are at 76F with a low of 70F at sunrise tomorrow and low 80sF by afternoon. Next week we may have early morning lows in the mid-50sF with highs in 70s to 80s depending.

We had a cool late December and all of January. Morning lows on 50sF with daytime highs in 70sF with an occasional day or so with strong north winds about 10 degrees cooler, cloudless skies and no rain. Since the start of February the wind has shifted to the SouthEast. Warmer summer like weather with almost daily rain. This is at least a month or 6 weeks too early.

What you are getting we are going to get the tail end of sometime next week, thus the lower temps then.

NJL (.. Fear not, dear northeners, June 1 is coming and the "mean season" begins with our constant monitoring of the Weather Channel and the National Hurricane Center... ..)

 

[Japanfan]

I've been in SoFL since 1965, including the snow year of 1977, and I understand exactly what you mean. Right now we are at 76F with a low of 70F at sunrise tomorrow and low 80sF by afternoon. Next week we may have early morning lows in the mid-50sF with highs in 70s to 80s depending.

We had a cool late December and all of January. Morning lows on 50sF with daytime highs in 70sF with an occasional day or so with strong north winds about 10 degrees cooler, cloudless skies and no rain. Since the start of February the wind has shifted to the SouthEast. Warmer summer like weather with almost daily rain. This is at least a month or 6 weeks too early.

What you are getting we are going to get the tail end of sometime next week, thus the lower temps then.

NJL (.. Fear not, dear northeners, June 1 is coming and the "mean season" begins with our constant monitoring of the Weather Channel and the National Hurricane Center... ..)

Stop bragging, @NeilJLeaonard. Everyone knows that Florida is a warm, sunshiny state.

 

[tony]

In all my almost 50 years, the coldest place I have EVER experienced in the US was Cleveland. In fact it was Cleveland Nationals in 2000, and I'd hail a cab from my hotel to the sports center which was only like four blocks away, but I'd tell the driver to drive me around for ten minutes until I warmed enough to get out and be prepared for the cold arena! Was that winter exceptionally cold for Cleveland, Tony? I've been to Chicago many times in January and there was never that bone chilling, instant-freezing feeling. I grew up on the east coast and would ride my bike to school in -10 weather and think nothing of it. But now being in Houston for 30+ years I am much more sensitive to freezing temps like you are.

I was also at that Nationals, but I was only 13 so I don’t remember if that winter was better or worse than the others. I think they all blended together into a terrible time, generally having to get up extra early to help my mom or dad shovel the driveway to even get out to go places And of course, if a car wasn’t in a garage, that’s extra time to heat it up and attempt to start melting the ice block that had surrounded it. I really don’t see myself ever living in a brutal winter again, but I did almost move to Chicago last summer so you never know.

 

[Judy]

Yes, those cold temps actually reached where I live. It's 2F with a wind chill factor of -11F. I never dreamed in my lifetime would I see temps below freezing for several days much less this much snow. We have about 6 inches of powdery snow. Tonight, we might lose power because of freezing rain mixed with sleet and snow. The high today is supposed to be around 27F with a low of 20F. It really is like "the little ice age" here in Louisiana.

I had to call Apple (Canada) and was speaking to a guy from Louisiana and he asked me if Canada could take our weather back . He was hilarious we had a nice chat.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Please be careful:

Harris County slammed with 300+ carbon monoxide cases — and many are kids

Many of the cases stem from people using BBQ pits and generators indoors to stay warm,...

www.houstonchronicle.com

Harris County has seen more than 200 carbon monoxide poisoning cases as temperatures bottomed out Monday in Houston and the state’s electricity grid failed, sending people scrambling for heat sources. That includes 90 carbon monoxide poisoning calls to the Houston Fire Department and 100 cases in Memorial Hermann's emergency rooms.

Many of the cases stem from people using BBQ pits and generators indoors to stay warm, said Drew Munhausen, a Memorial Hermann spokesperson. Doctors are treating 60 of those cases at the hospital’s Texas Medical Center location.

 

[PRlady]

In all my almost 50 years, the coldest place I have EVER experienced in the US was Cleveland. In fact it was Cleveland Nationals in 2000, and I'd hail a cab from my hotel to the sports center which was only like four blocks away, but I'd tell the driver to drive me around for ten minutes until I warmed enough to get out and be prepared for the cold arena! Was that winter exceptionally cold for Cleveland, Tony? I've been to Chicago many times in January and there was never that bone chilling, instant-freezing feeling. I grew up on the east coast and would ride my bike to school in -10 weather and think nothing of it. But now being in Houston for 30+ years I am much more sensitive to freezing temps like you are.

I was there too and it was unbearable -- and I grew up in Philly, not the South. I think my cab for the four-block ride was right behind yours.

 

[Impromptu]

I was just reading over the blogs from Ice-dance.com from 2008 Nationals in St. Paul, during one of the coldest weeks of the year. The first half of the week, it got no warmer than 9, and as cold as -15. I felt so guilty, as if I were responsible for the weather (which is basically all anyone talked about until it warmed up to a nice balmy 25 by the end of the week).

 

[PrincessLeppard]

Blankets and cats (who sit on you) are one way to stay warm.

Peanut puts out quite a few BTUs

 

[MacMadame]

I have found that my body becomes less tolerant of the extreme cold as I age.

That's interesting because in some ways I'm more tolerant. Not sitting at my desk working. But when I let the dog out and it's only 50F and I'm in my PJs and bare feet, I don't feel particularly cold.

It's weird.

 

[once_upon]

Next time you need to replace your HVAC system you might consider a zonal system. Hard to say if it would work for your home but definitely something to look into.

I believe we have that. Not sure.

The main floor is a totally open concept, with floor to ceiling windows and sits on top of the semi heated garage. Our townhome is closest to the ventilation fan in the garage - and the louvers have had a hard time closing. The second floor where bedrooms are located have doors. The master bedroom has a gas fireplace and his den has space heaters in the baseboards.

It's just when its this cold and we have turn the heat down to help the power grid, nothing can really keep up.

We have the blinds closed to prevent heat from escaping-the windows are double paned, it's the large size and number of them.

 

[Simone411]

My niece and her husband live in Stonewall, La. which is further north but still in DeSoto Parish. Without any notice at all, Swepco shut down their electricity, and it wasn't turned back on until 12:30 p.m. My family that lives in Logansport also have Swepco as their power company. Logansport is separated from East Texas by the Sabine River.

From what I saw on the news this morning, Swepco also uses wind turbines and I believe that areas like Houston, etc. get their power from those wind turbines. My local news was showing helicopters flying over those wind turbines and having to pour fossil fuel on them to get them to work again. I assume the fossil fuel was used to help thaw them out?

The power company that my town uses is Cleco and they use natural gas in making the electricity. I also have gas central heating, and received a text message from Atmos Energy which provides the natural gas to my home. They were asking all the customers to cut back on using it by lowering our thermostats. Since the low tonight is 20F instead of 2F, I think I can handle that. I believe that companies like Atmos Energy are the ones providing the fossil fuels to thaw out those wind turbines.

 

[taf2002]

I was at Cleveland Nats in 2009 & it was cold but not as cold as here. In fact I think this is the coldest I've ever felt here.

 

[Simone411]

I was at Cleveland Nats in 2009 & it was cold but not as cold as here. In fact I think this is the coldest I've ever felt here.

taf, I just have to ask. Is Swepco the power company that provides you electricity? I sure hope not!

 

[Amy L]

We've been without electricity since midnight last night. The husband just got in the car to charge all of our phones. Now he's considering driving around to look for open restaurants.

We have a barbecue pit but no one wants to stand outside to use it.

Texans are not meant for cold. I used to work at Home Depot and the coldest it ever got while I was there was 24 degrees and people flipped the frick out. I feel sorry for the employees now, people will be trying to take hostages for propane by now.

Apparently the local 911 phone bank crashed. It's going to be another eventful night here....

I am under 4 quilts and a fuzzy cat. I'm doing as well as I can be and I ain't going anywhere out there in the frozen apocalypse!

 

[mjb52]

You have an unfair advantage @Amy L having lived in Russia

 

[Amy L]

You have an unfair advantage @Amy L having lived in Russia

Maybe. Though it was 20 years ago and the power/heating never went out.

I do have to say that trudging to class at 8am during blizzards and falling into a snowdrift once have changed the way I view cold forever. I think to myself, I'm freezing now, but am I really THAT frozen? And the answer is usually nyet

The husband just called to say that he's going to Home Depot to look for propane. I couldn't explain to him why I thought it was so hilarious.

 

[mjb52]

I do have to say that trudging to class at 8am during blizzards and falling into a snowdrift once have changed the way I view cold forever. I think to myself, I'm freezing now, but am I really THAT frozen? And the answer is usually nyet

This is exactly what winter in central Illinois was like...

 

[Erin]

I was just reading over the blogs from Ice-dance.com from 2008 Nationals in St. Paul, during one of the coldest weeks of the year. The first half of the week, it got no warmer than 9, and as cold as -15. I felt so guilty, as if I were responsible for the weather (which is basically all anyone talked about until it warmed up to a nice balmy 25 by the end of the week).

Yes, I definitely think that the people who live in a place are the ones responsible for the weather that visitors experience

I seem to recall that everyone complained about the weather for St. Paul Nationals in 2016 as well and I don't even think it was all that bad especially by figure skating nationals standards and/or Minnesota in January standards. Some friends and I were reminiscing about some cold experiences at skating competitions, and (no surprise), they were all in Canada in January and February. Edmonton in 2004 had a couple of really bad days, Saskatoon in 2009 had a crazy swing in temperatures from -35C mid-week (when we were all very happy I had a car with a remote starter) and then it warmed up to around 0C by the weekend and we were able to go for a walk by the river. But we all agreed that our coldest experience was Halifax, one person at 2007 Canadians and two of us at 1999 4CCs. The actual temperature might not have been as cold, but the combination of the wind and the dampness coming off the water meant I have never felt as cold in my life! Give me the dry cold of the prairies any day over that.

 

[SpeedySucks]

Yes, I definitely think that the people who live in a place are the ones responsible for the weather that visitors experience

I seem to recall that everyone complained about the weather for St. Paul Nationals in 2016 as well and I don't even think it was all that bad especially by figure skating nationals standards and/or Minnesota in January standards. Some friends and I were reminiscing about some cold experiences at skating competitions, and (no surprise), they were all in Canada in January and February. Edmonton in 2004 had a couple of really bad days, Saskatoon in 2009 had a crazy swing in temperatures from -35C mid-week (when we were all very happy I had a car with a remote starter) and then it warmed up to around 0C by the weekend and we were able to go for a walk by the river. But we all agreed that our coldest experience was Halifax, one person at 2007 Canadians and two of us at 1999 4CCs. The actual temperature might not have been as cold, but the combination of the wind and the dampness coming off the water meant I have never felt as cold in my life! Give me the dry cold of the prairies any day over that.

I think the coldest I’ve ever been was at 2005 Canadians in London. It was at least -10F on the first few days with an awful wind, and then there was about a foot of snow on Saturday with more wind. I got stuck in Chicago during the polar vortex in 2014, and even that felt warmer than London. St. Paul Nationals in 2016 was balmy by comparison - I think it was around 20F for most of that week!

 

[Impromptu]

I seem to recall that everyone complained about the weather for St. Paul Nationals in 2016 as well and I don't even think it was all that bad especially by figure skating nationals standards and/or Minnesota in January standards.

Yeah, by the time the Junior events started that year, it was high 20s/low 30s, so definitely on the warm side. (But anyone who went to the Juvenile-Novice events got to experience the minuses - at least per the NWS historical data site).

 

[skategal]

I think the coldest I’ve ever been was at 2005 Canadians in London. It was at least -10F on the first few days with an awful wind, and then there was about a foot of snow on Saturday with more wind. I got stuck in Chicago during the polar vortex in 2014, and even that felt warmer than London. St. Paul Nationals in 2016 was balmy by comparison - I think it was around 20F for most of that week!

My DH and I were just today talking about the huge snow storm at London 2005 Nationals.

 

[Erin]

Yeah, by the time the Junior events started that year, it was high 20s/low 30s, so definitely on the warm side. (But anyone who went to the Juvenile-Novice events got to experience the minuses - at least per the NWS historical data site).

Ah yes, I don't remember anything except the senior events because I was working so much that the seniors was all I could attend. I probably didn't even go outside during the rest of the month (as I would go from underground parking to underground parking - my number 1 winter survival tip) and so I have no idea what the weather was like during the rest of the event!

 

[Lizziebeth]

I was just reading over the blogs from Ice-dance.com from 2008 Nationals in St. Paul, during one of the coldest weeks of the year. The first half of the week, it got no warmer than 9, and as cold as -15. I felt so guilty, as if I were responsible for the weather (which is basically all anyone talked about until it warmed up to a nice balmy 25 by the end of the week).

I remember that week, it was horribly cold and windy. Early in the week they did not have all the doors open so you had to walk around the building in a wind tunnel of air blowing from the Yukon. I had my car and every night I wondered if the poor thing would start after sitting all day.

I remember driving home at the end of the week and it was beautiful out - felt like spring. I wonder why - the temperatures had only gone up by 50 degrees or so

 

[Aceon6]

I felt betrayed by the cold snap in Boston for Worlds 2016. It’s rarely that cold. I at least had access to a -40 rated LL Bean coat, but many FSUers were scouting for something, anything, warm at year end sales. Unfortunately, most stores had already switched to spring.