Bitter Cold Targets Lower 48

[Sleeping Cobra1]

Fairbanks, Alaska, is a mighty cold place in January. The normal daily average temperature this time of year is 10 below zero. Now, try this one on for size. In Fairbanks this month, the average temperature has been 38 degrees below zero! Do the math.

Actually, the cold in Alaska is just part of a mammoth arctic air mass that extends across all of northern Canada. So what will become of this intense cold? Well, here's the bad news. Next week, a broad northwesterly flow from the Arctic all the way to the Gulf of Mexico is going to bring a huge amount of that bitter air down. It's the type of cold that really stings. Later in the week, below zero temperatures are expected from the Midwest to the Northeast.

Chicago will most certainly experience a period when the temperature stays below zero. New York could also have a below-zero night, which hasn't happened in 14 years.
http://www.accuweather.com/news-story.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&zipChg=1&article=3


****Please Click On Link To See Map*****

[Sleeping Cobra1]

Al Gore isn't getting his way so he is taking REVENGE across the United States.

[HouseWolf]

Next weeks forecast for the Chicago region has 0 for the HIGH on Wednesday.

:shock:

[PrairieMoon]

Brrrrr.....hope the wing doesn't blow too hard. Makes it very difficult for livestock. :(

[michigreg]

Looks like I'm going to be calling in to work for a few days because my car will be frozen solid.....:shock:

[momof23goats]

michigan is going to be cold also. I think we are going to have the same if not colder than chigaco , here in michigan.
and we are getting snow, snow, and more snow. on top of the snow we already have. Tons of the stuff.

[Buttercup]

If anybody needs me next week, I'll be hybernating at the woodstove.

[michigreg]

"...we are getting snow, snow, and more snow. on top of the snow we already have."


Blech.
:-x

[Filas are prima]

Looks like I'm going to be calling in to work for a few days because my car will be frozen solid.....:shock:

Hang a chicken light under its closed hood, and, if you can, block off the blast of air from underneith.
My delima is Chevy trucks have their doors sitting to get ice in the cracks and freeze solid so the door won't open.

[kelee877]

we will be hitting minus 31 farenhiet by thursday next week.....burrrr I know where I will be on thursday...

[johngaltfla]

I heard about that and was shocked. We're going to put some water on the porch to see if it freezes when it drops down to that bitter 45 above zero next week.:mrgreen:

[Looking Ahead]

Weather guys are already telling us to be prepared for lows of 7 to 9 degrees. THAT is cold for Alabama. They are also watching how the lows and fronts form up, and the word ICE is in the forecast, along with the "S" word.

They will have a better handle on things by Monday, and then the panic buying at the supermarkets will begin; "Bread and Milk!"

I'm concerned about my old car, and I'm thinking I'll go crank it up and let it run for a while throughout the night when its that cold. I've done that before in years past when we would have real cold winter weather for several nights.

There are other problems to work out before this gets here, leaking outside faucets, and getting a new gas heater. We have not had this kind of cold in years, and folks are not ready for it.

[emoemo333]

So far I have just heard warnings about wind chill here. We shall see. Classes start at the University next week. At the last staff meeting, I spent a good chunck of it lecturing my student workers about winter weather, layering, and being prepared to deal with the cold. Next week, if we get the expected bitter cold, I will find out who actually paid attention. But never fear. Office 'mom' has extra sweaters, extra clean socks, and extra space heaters along with various First Aid products in the 'drug drawer'.

[firebird]

If anybody needs me next week, I'll be hybernating at the woodstove.

Our windows are still open!

[Rhodie]

Looking ahead, if your worried about your car, just add some anti-freeze to the radiator. And as suggested put a chicken light under the hood that will help with the starting.
Also add some HEAT gas treatment to the fuel tank to clean out any water that might be present.
Also make sure you have a warm coat, gloves and stocking hat for everyone in the house, and that they take them with them when they go out, even for a short trip.

Take care.

[Trivium Pursuit]

Where do you get a chicken light?

[north runner]

Where do you get a chicken light?

Its just an infrared bulb with a reflector around it. 250w 500w

[ejagno]

No one here is paying any attention to this projected forecast because as Looking Ahead mentioned, it's a rare occurance on the Gulf coast. Remember the ice storms of 1994 that left us without cable, phones or electricity for weeks? I do and I won't go through that again if I can do a few things now to prevent the discomforts although we fared better than most back then. At least we had food. We did end up with burst pipes, a broken windshield from a fallen limb, no heat sourse other than a propane burner with a "Heater Buddy" on it and no water so we had to bum from neighbors. I now have alternate heat, electricity, water and food so that's covered. I will be vigilant about keeping all of the laundry washed and get some pre-cooked meals prepared so that it's just "heat and eat" when meal time rolls around. Don't forget, we don't have "Real" winter clothing here so layering upon layering will be required.

[travelingirl]

oh, I hate to be spiteful but couldn't it wait till Jan. 20 in Wash. D.C. Oh, to be like 30 below zero there that day. How nice zero for Zero and global warming hee hee hee. Watch their lips turn blue as they try to speak the steam would like sulfur. I am getting a visual ha hahah ha:mrgreen:

[kelee877]

Looking ahead, if your worried about your car, just add some anti-freeze to the radiator. And as suggested put a chicken light under the hood that will help with the starting.
Also add some HEAT gas treatment to the fuel tank to clean out any water that might be present.
Also make sure you have a warm coat, gloves and stocking hat for everyone in the house, and that they take them with them when they go out, even for a short trip.

Take care.


umm we have block heaters up here..reminds me I should plug mine in...

I just re-checked our forcast for this week, looks like wed and thurs ar going to be bad days up here..hitting -34....burr...

[AzProtector]

I heard about that and was shocked. We're going to put some water on the porch to see if it freezes when it drops down to that bitter 45 above zero next week.:mrgreen:

Yeah, we're expecting 55-60 degrees all week....it was 73 yesterday...I might have to wear my jacket.....

All fun aside, be careful folks...that kind of cold isn't anything to mess with...but I don't need to tell you that...y'all know already.

[Yooper]

Along about this time of year we always get a cold snap like this so it's no big deal up here. Several days where it stays below zero.
All livestock are buttoned up and will have heat lamps nearby. It's you folk further south that are getting colder temps than usual. That's the tough part...trying to being prepared for something that usually doesn't happen. Just mind your water pipes!
Stay warm everyone!

[angelwing]

I saw our low for 3 on Tues and -1 on Wed, which is what it will be at work, at home it will be minus 10, haven't seen that in a long long time here

[Limner]

The porch is WAY loaded up with wood and Hubby piled the garlic bed with fresh straw mulch after the wind blew the leaves away (and put the fence back onthe top so it would STAY there)...so we're ready.

[north runner]

I'll take bitter cold to having to wear showshoes to the woodpile any day of the week.

[NPinNM]

I lived in western PA the last time the siberian express did what it is going to do these next few days, wasn't pretty, not at all. We had a mix of snow and ice, lost power almost immediately, it was off for 3-4 weeks at my place, lines down everywhere. Same kind of temps, many days in a row of 0*'s being the high, just frigid would be my only description.

I hope everyone is getting prepared to endure.

Not to rub it in, but our daytime temps will be in the 40's, night time temps in the low teens here in NM - believe it or not, people here will probably have MORE troubles with water lines, etc because they are much less prepared to deal with Mother Nature and the cold. About 5 years ago we had a cold snap that had our temps at 0*s overnight for several nights in a row. Joe the plumber made a ton of money fixing all the busted pipes and many were inside houses because they don't insulate that well here.

NP

[LONEWOLF]

This is terribly tough on animals already living outside & exposed to the weather. A prayer for help in their struggle, too.....

[Buttercup]

Our windows are still open!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/I_IZ_SERIUS_ADMNIM_THIZ_IZ_SERIUS_BIZNIS_lolcat.jp g/400px-I_IZ_SERIUS_ADMNIM_THIZ_IZ_SERIUS_BIZNIS_lolcat.jp g

[kelee877]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/I_IZ_SERIUS_ADMNIM_THIZ_IZ_SERIUS_BIZNIS_lolcat.jp g/400px-I_IZ_SERIUS_ADMNIM_THIZ_IZ_SERIUS_BIZNIS_lolcat.jp g

You tell um Buttercup.....as I have 3 layers of clothing on just to keep the chill off...:evil:

[Buttercup]

I hear ya sister...

http://www.freewebs.com/mewantsupper/lol-cat-cold.jpg

[kelee877]

ae poor kitty;


my kitty wants to go out on the balcony,but the door is froozen shut, so she is stuck inside until spring thaw....

[Stanb999]

I'm waiting for the PSA's that say....
Don't use portable heaters. Yes your house is cold but your furnace is running full power so dress warmly even at night.



About the livestock, It's better to have very cold than kinda cold. The very cold weather is dry. If it's a bit warm the livestock can be wet which is very bad. Those of you down in the panhandle or deep south if the temps. drop below freezing at night. Make sure the critters have dry bedding. This is the most important. They don't need blankets or other such stuff. Just keep them dry.

[Chuck]

Next weeks forecast for the Chicago region has 0 for the HIGH on Wednesday.

:shock:
I wish our temps would get up that warm. We've been hanging in around -20 to -30 for the last 2 weeks. And we are in the banana belt I heard this morning Tok, Ak was -78.

[north runner]

I'm waiting for the PSA's that say....
Don't use portable heaters. Yes your house is cold but your furnace is running full power so dress warmly even at night.



About the livestock, It's better to have very cold than kinda cold. The very cold weather is dry. If it's a bit warm the livestock can be wet which is very bad. Those of you down in the panhandle or deep south if the temps. drop below freezing at night. Make sure the critters have dry bedding. This is the most important. They don't need blankets or other such stuff. Just keep them dry.

Yup the boiler would be running constantly ... until it broke down. The service guy would be hours behind because it was happening to a lot of other people. If you didn't have a service contract or he didn't have the right parts you were really out of luck.

[Summerthyme]

Stan is right... unless there is a lot of wind and the stock doesn't have any way to get out of it, they actually do amazingly well even in well-below-zero temps. That's why God made them grow those nice heavy coats.

I blanket my horse when it gets below about 10 degrees, but she's got that hot blood/Thoroughbred type coat... she gets a little fuzzy, but not enough to really keep her warm outside if the wind is blowing. And I don't like (and she doesn't like!) keeping her inside in the stall all day, for days on end... so I invested in a good quality turnout blanket which stays on no matter what antics she performs, and she can stay outside all day most days in comfort.

Our Dexter beef cows are outwintered, and don't seem to mind a bit. They've got a little running creek which always has at least a small open area, and enough choices as far as terrain that they can get out of the wind no matter which direction it's blowing from.

Almost any livestock which isn't newborn or elderly, and which is provided with sufficient calories (which can mean DOUBLE their normal needs), will do just fine even in bitter cold. The humans don't fare as well...

Summerthyme

[Caplock50]

The 'staying dry' advice works for humans too...and I'm meaning perspiration, not just the other kind of wet.

The temps here are going to be in the low 20s most of the nights, but will get up to the 40s(I think they said) one of the days. Going to be a long, cold week, so all of ya'll do take care.

Ever since the ice storm back in '94(I think it was), I've always seen to it I have alternative lighting, heating and cooking abilities. During that ice storm, while others were freezing inside their homes, I was wearing shorts and T-shirts. T'was a lot of fun, running outside in them to gather in another load of firewood. Was a bit spooky, though, listening to the tree limbs exploding.

As far as I can tell, I'm ready for it. Thank Goodness, I don't have to go out in it to a job or such.

As I said...do be extra careful up there, Folks. Tain't nothin' ta be lackadaisical with.

[QFMom]

It is going to be cold here... well for here...

the forecast though keeps changing... Wed was SUPPOSED to be the low... in the last hour that switched to TONIGHT.

NOT NOT NOT ready...

we are looking at in the 20's for lows... need to get fresh bedding out to the goats... recover the strawberries...

the good news is dh works indoors Mon-Wed... but Thu & Fri AM he is outside cleaning pools...

we have a fireplace
we have layers
alternate lighting...

[janetn]

Well the good news is that the weather forcast is only calling for temps to dip just below zero. Not a problem, it usually does this in early January.
This is much better than the earlier forcast that called for 20 below.

[babysteps]

Amazingly, it looks like our area will have just regular weather for the next week-- highs around 40, lows around 30. That's not too bad, after the weeks of 0-10 degrees we got in December...

Those of you getting sub-zero temps for the next few weeks... STAY WARM.