Seriously, How Can This Not Be Winter?

I’m a meteorologist. I know winter is over… officially. Unofficially, enough already! This is getting crazy. We didn’t break 45&#176 at my house. Where is the warmth we crave?

For the doubters, a few photos to make my point.

We begin with the parking lot at the Hamden Plaza Shopping Center. Not only is this pile of snow ten feet tall, it’s filthy! It will see April!

IMG_0535

IMG_0534

The sunset was lovely, but look at the trees. Not a leaf. Not a bud. No color anywhere. Where are the forsythia when you need them?

IMG_0538

The Cold’s Not Done Yet

4:30 PM EST Thursday. It’s 38&#176 in Anchorage with a wind chill of 29&#176. It’s 19&#176 at Bradley International with a wind chill of 2&#176! Something is terribly wrong with this picture.

The jet stream is bringing frigid air from the Canadian Plains across the Great Lakes and spilling it into most of the East Coast. It’s in the 20s this afternoon in portions of North Carolina.

We’re staying bitterly cold through the weekend. Wind chill readings will hover around and often below 0&#176. Wind chill describes how rapidly your exposed flesh loses heat.

Here’s something 18 year old Geoff never thought he’d say: Try to expose as little of your flesh as possible!

As for Friday/Saturday’s snow, it looks like less of a deal today than yesterday. Maybe an inch or two of powdery snow starting Friday afternoon or evening and ending Saturday morning.

A week ago I was in SoCal where they were complaining about the ‘bitter cold.’ Where’s my violin?

Cold Update

A few commenters have said I might have allergies. Seriously? After all these years being mainly allergy free?

This morning I’ve hardly sneezed at all. My noise still is filling up, but not like last night. My throat has that “I just sucked on a crowbar” taste. I am fatigued though I just finished seven plus hours of sleep.

A few commenters have said I might have allergies. Seriously? After all these years being mainly allergy free? That’s a cruel fate.

This story doesn’t end well, does it?

How Can It Get Colder Than Zero?

The problem is people regularly think 20&#176F is twice as warm as 10&#176F! Everything we’re taught about math says it should be, but it’s not.

When I went to sleep last night it was 4&#176. We ended up bottoming out at around -4&#176. It was extremely cold, though the numbers are misleading or at least overstate the case.

Sit down. I hate to tell you this. There’s really little scientific significance to 0&#176 Fahrenheit! It was just a very cold temperature which could be produced reasonably consistently with the tools available 400 years ago. It is not where temperature stops!

From Wikipedia: According to an article Fahrenheit wrote in 1724, he based his scale on two reference points of temperature. The zero point is determined by placing the thermometer in brine: he used a mixture of ice, water, and ammonium chloride, a salt. This is a frigorific mixture which automatically stabilizes its temperature at 0 °F.

The second point, 100 degrees, was the level of the liquid in the thermometer when held in the mouth or under the armpit of his wife.

The problem is people regularly think 20&#176F is twice as warm as 10&#176F! Everything we’re taught about math says it should be, but it’s not.

There is an absolute point where the downward scale of temperature stops. It’s called “absolute zero” and it corresponds to -459.67&#176 Fahrenheit, -273.15&#176 Centigrade or 0&#176 Kelvin. At that temperature all molecular motion ceases!

Absolute zero doesn’t naturally exist though scientists have managed to approach it. They’ve never reached it. It’s possible they never will.

Last night we weren’t even close!

If Your Cold Weather Is Temporary Don’t Kvetch!

It was chilly for Los Angeles. But I’m with Stef on this, cut me a break.

I spoke to Stef last night as I left work. She told me on her way home from the studio (That sounds so Hollywood, doesn’t it?) she noticed someone in a full length fleece coat. Stef was wearing a light sweater. The temperature was in the 50s. She couldn’t believe it.

Believe it Stef!

People don’t complain about abstract numbers they complain about deviation from normal. It was chilly for Los Angeles. But I’m with Stef on this, cut me a break.

Same thing happened today on my way into work. I was speaking with my mother. I told her we were in the low 20&#176s overnight. She then told me she had her heat on for the first time this season.

I love you Mom, but really? She’s in Florida for heaven’s sake! Her temperature bottomed out in the upper 30&#176s about 15&#176 warmer than here.

Can we trade?

Right now it’s 74&#176 on the USC campus in L.A. My folks are in the mid 50&#176s. By next week this cold air will be a thing of the past… for them. For us it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Don’t kvetch.