It’s So Effing Cold

[Cachoo]

I am NOT Nanook of the North. How do you cope with these continuous below zero temperatures?

 

[skatingguy]

I am NOT Nanook of the North. How do you cope with these continuous below zero temperatures?

Dress warmly, fire places help, and if not available then try alcohol.

 

[Karen-W]

Dress warmly, fire places help, and if not available then try alcohol.

Lots of blankets and afghans. Electric blankets and mattress pads are an amazing invention too.

I'm in western Oregon where it's been below freezing, which for us is very chilly and cold but I realize not for many parts of the country where they're in a deep freeze, and I have a knitted cape that my mom made me about ten years ago when I worked in offices that didn't have very good air temp control and I love it. It's perfect to throw over my shoulders in the evening to keep warm.

 

[BaileyCatts]

Turn up da heat. That's what I do.

 

[Judy]

It’s -17 where I am (Canada of course). So our houses tend to be better insulated vs. Vancouver for example. I dress warmly and have my temp set for bedtime. I can’t stand to be cold so warm clothes and eat/drink something warm.

we’re expecting a big snowstorm so it tends to get kinda milder when it snows but it has a damp feeling which is worse.

take a hot bath or shower if nothing else works.

 

[once_upon]

Turn up da heat. That's what I do.

That only works when you don't have rolling blackouts

 

[Karen-W]

That only works when you don't have rolling blackouts

Or ice storms like we get at least once a winter here in my part of Oregon. As of a few hours ago, through NW Oregon, there were about 200k people still without power and it's been 2-3 days for some of them, and that's down from over 500k without power as of yesterday morning after the biggest storm passed through on Saturday.

 

[Japanfan]

People who live in really cold places often plug their cars in to keep the cars warm.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I am NOT Nanook of the North. How do you cope with these continuous below zero temperatures?

Don't live there! My husband thought it would be a jolly idea to move to Wyoming! Are you kidding me...two Malibu transplants

 

[Lilia A]

A hot beverage AND bundle up. I find that if you bundle up while your body is cold it takes longer to warm up. So, warm the inside before/while you warm up the outside. Alternatively, take a hot shower (if your power is okay) and then bundle up.
Also, and I know this varies from person to person, don't neglect your feet and ankles. My feet are always covered because otherwise they feel like icicles (even in warmer temperatures) but when my ankles are slightly exposed, my whole body feels cold. Honestly, I do much better at staying warm outside with outdoor gear than indoors with lounge wear. Perhaps my boots have something to do with it.
Note: this is my experience whenever my heat went out in the middle of a massive cold front (which happens a lot in high rise condos for some reason). Under normal circumstances, I agree just turn up the heat lol.

 

[ballettmaus]

It's snowing everywhere except here.

 

[Susan1]

On the neighborhood chat, they are always posting about lost/found dogs/cats. So somebody posted this "lost dog" - https://tinyurl.com/4c9u3dzn

The jokes after it are good. People saying the same things they do about dogs.

It's 15* now, zero tonight. About 6 more inches of snow last night. 3-6 expected again Thursday. They show road conditions on the highways. There's more snow plowed up in front of my driveway than on my driveway. My little snow blower can't do it. I didn't even have to use it at all last year and not till last week.

 

[skategal]

It's really hard when you live in a climate that usually isn't that cold and then you get a cold snap.

Your body acclimates when the cold is a natural part if your environment.

We usually have 1 week of REALLY cold weather (For us) every winter. Usually in the -15 C range.

It feels worse that the 2 winters I spent in Ottawa where it was between -20 C to -30 C every day.

 

[quartz]

Menopause keeps me warm.
I like the cold if it’s not windy. Brisk, fresh, invigorating air is so nice to breathe in. -10C here, so not too bad, we have about a foot of snow on the ground.

 

[Jot the Dot Dot]

"It was so cold out, Al Gore gave a speech on global warming, and the entire audience started pelting him with snowballs!" (Jay Leno, The Tonight Show).

 

[skatingguy]

"It was so cold out, Al Gore gave a speech on global warming, and the entire audience started pelting him with snowballs!" (Jay Leno, The Tonight Show).

I was going to say that's a joke that didn't age well, but really it wasn't funny 20 years ago either.

 

[clairecloutier]

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

 

[Judy]

It's really hard when you live in a climate that usually isn't that cold and then you get a cold snap.

Your body acclimates when the cold is a natural part if your environment.

We usually have 1 week of REALLY cold weather (For us) every winter. Usually in the -15 C range.

It feels worse that the 2 winters I spent in Ottawa where it was between -20 C to -30 C every day.

I am in Ottawa but we are having a pretty good winter. However it’s been snowing since last night and 25 cm expected. our wind chill thought is -17.

 

[hanca]

It's really hard when you live in a climate that usually isn't that cold and then you get a cold snap.

Your body acclimates when the cold is a natural part if your environment.

This is so true! And it is not only your body being used to it, but if you live in a country with colder temperatures, you are better equipped to deal with it. You have warmer clothes for outside, you have better insulated houses, double glazing, your car may have compulsory change of tires for winter... I swear what people consider here winter jacket would not be considered a proper winter jacket where I came from. I don’t know if it is with different padding that’s inside the jacket, but in my birth country the winter jackets are much warmer. Here they look warm and then the padding gets gradually thinner/flatter and suddenly they are not as warm. Not to mention that the transport is not used to snow here and sometimes even tiny bit of snow can sometimes completely stop the traffic because cars are slipping and it is dangerous.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

Here in Houston over a million were left without power so no way to warm up. I was lucky and never had an issue but some friends who live only ten minutes from me have been out of power for over 24 hours! I think last night was supposed to be the worst and things will get back to normal by Saturday so we'll be walking around in shorts and sandals in no time...

 

[Simone411]

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.

 

[Aceon6]

I swear that the Minnesotans, Michiganders and New Englanders keep half of Florida from freezing to death each winter. It hasn’t gotten stupidly cold, but one of my friends has already leant out all her Polartec as well as her down coat.

 

[Impromptu]

Electric mattress pad, hoodies, dressing in layers and warm cats. It was negative 20 when I got up yesterday (which isn't nearly as cold as it can get here, but it's the coldest it has been this winter). I own four winter coats. One fleece one for 30s, a longer one for teens and 20s, a knee length parka for cold AND snow, and a thick Land's End Weather Channel Recommended one for negative temperatures.

I know this is er, cold comfort, but you get used to it.

 

[Cachoo]

Thank you for the suggestions. I think a big part of the problem that as a plains state there is no windbreak and it seems to cut right through you. But I have heat and it sounds like some folks, particularly in Texas, are in some sort of winter hell right now.

 

[Simone411]

Electric mattress pad, hoodies, dressing in layers and warm cats. It was negative 20 when I got up yesterday (which isn't nearly as cold as it can get here, but it's the coldest it has been this winter). I own four winter coats. One fleece one for 30s, a longer one for teens and 20s, a knee length parka for cold AND snow, and a thick Land's End Weather Channel Recommended one for negative temperatures.

I know this is er, cold comfort, but you get used to it.

You might be used to it, but I'm not by any means! I've seen several Decembers where it's been around 70F on Christmas Day. The coldest I've ever seen it get is maybe around 29F or 30F for a couple of days in January. In February, the norm is usually around 60 to 65F for a high and around 40F for the low.

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!

 

[tony]

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.

 

[BittyBug]

It is all about what you're used to, expecting and equipped for. My heart goes out to everyone in TX, OK, LA, etc. who have been plunged into such atypical extreme cold. This deep freeze will be so destructive, including loss of life. It's dreadful.

 

[once_upon]

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.

 

[hanca]

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

 

[Cachoo]

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.