This Week's Meaningless Topic (#118)(Dec 9)

[Rodger Pettichord]

Hi all. Here in Eastern Washington State, we're heading into a hard winter. This year's Pacific La Nina weather system means lots of snow and cold (as opposed to an El Nino, which brings milder winters). So I'm looking out the window at several inches of leftover snow as it begins snowing again for at least two days while the temperatures stay sub-freezing. Brrrr! And that leads to this week's topic (no smart comments from the Anzac guys now in summer, please).

 

THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC:  When and where have you been the coldest?

[BradB]

Butte Montana - On business trip in the 70's - Minus 40 F , no wind thankfully . I can't remember the month , but it's always cold in Butte .......

[W2DR]

Standing on her front porch after striking out with Donna Jean.

[Ken Q]

Living in the northeast, I have a couple of options.  To start, of course, nothing (in the US) can beat the upper Midwest.  The Christmas before we were married my wife (to be) went "home" to central Minnesota, and then to Moorjead, MN, near Fargo, ND for me to meet her family. Wonderful trip, and though pretty cold (officially "brisk" according to Dad, only about -10F), being forewarned I was prepared, so it wasn't too bad.  But the overcoat I bought in preparation for the trip was never worn again.  

 

But the most memorable cold snap was a few days before I reported to active duty in the Navy.  On my way to Newport, RI I visited a friend who was in graduate school at Albany (NY) University.  Albany, located about 140 miles north of New York City is in interior New York State, and can get pretty cold.  Well, my friend and I decided to go to an on campus concert.  It was so cold (below zero) and very windy that we opted to drive, though it was just across campus.  Everyone else had the same idea, so parking anywhere nearby seemed impossible. But I had an old 1962 VW with a sunroof.  We found a space where a parking space hog parked over the line, taking two spaces.  But there was still room, barely, for my little car, as long as I didn't open the doors.  So I let my friend out, pulled into the space, and climbed out of the sunroof.  Ah, to be young.  Now I have enough trouble getting out of a car through the door.

 

Ken

[John Heaton]

As I was born all those years ago in the North of England - Lancashire - and having not seen snow or ice for the last 51 years of living Down Under -

memories of being cold are so long ago - but I vaguely remember one year - 1948 - of not being able to get out of the door due to snow being piled up 

outside it.

I do remember being quite viscously cold however in 56/57 - on patrols - in the Army up in the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus - and on skiing in the same area

when a truce was made in 58.

[gumbypickett]

Well this would be in the Highland Lakes in Tassie.

It was November a warmish time of the year, a month out 

from Summer. My wife at the time, my Sister and Brother- In-law,

went up there for the Long Weekend to do some fishing and stay a

couple of nights. The first night a cold front crossed and brought snow for the 

next 3 days. We were told to leave the very next morning and there was snow 

everywhere. Made for an interesting drive downhill.

 

ps 23deg cel here at the moment.

cheers

Gumby

[adambar]

1963 in the middle of the North Atlantic standing the midnight watch. 

[paulb]

The coldest spot was probably on a holiday (inside the Arctic circle) to Kittila, Finnish Lapland. Lots of snow and ice!

 

Having said that, I am freezing cold just sitting here at home today .

[Pukcip]

It doesn’t really get that cold in the UK although everything is relative.    So either when dropping in to Providence, Rhode Island in February a few years back or; visiting the Ice Bar in London for Christmas drinks before dinner (they only let you stay an hour).

[Rob Abernathy]

I'd have to say at the bottom of the Trinity River in N California.  Was gold mining under a dredge and stayed underwater for almost 7 hours!  To this day I recoil at the thought of getting into cold water.  Got enough gold to pay my college expenses so that was the good part.

[Stillwater]

Degree-wise it was -25°C in Telemark, Norway for me. But that was dry cold, no wind and upcoming sunshine.

Chill-wise it was about -8°C with strong winds in Gobi desert, near Yinchuan.

I do not remember how cold it felt on all these days I arrived with no homework at school...

[wain71]

late 1980's based in Berlin, early 87, maybe Jan/Feb -20c, never been in such a cold place before.....a few years back we had a cold spell in the UK, I use a reach & wash system to clean windows, it was so cold over a long period that as I rinsed the dirt off the water was freezing on the glass....

[Rodger Pettichord]

Coldest moments = Iceland winter blizzard -32f, Northern North Dakota windchill-50f. 

Coldest feeling = swimming lessons as a kid. Our local lake had a commercial swimming area with a tall slide and wood-slat-wall pools. Volcanic lake, chilly, stayed in shade all morning, and us little kids turned blue and shivered like paint-can vibrators. 

Edited December 9, 2022 by Rodger Pettichord
wrong word

[John York]

As a child when living in East London getting up from my warm bed to go downstairs to the outside toilet.

[truckerJay]

On 12/9/2022 at 6:17 AM, Ken Q said:

Living in the northeast, I have a couple of options.  To start, of course, nothing (in the US) can beat the upper Midwest.  The Christmas before we were married my wife (to be) went "home" to central Minnesota, and then to Moorjead, MN, near Fargo, ND for me to meet her family. Wonderful trip, and though pretty cold (officially "brisk" according to Dad, only about -10F), being forewarned I was prepared, so it wasn't too bad.  But the overcoat I bought in preparation for the trip was never worn again.  

 

But the most memorable cold snap was a few days before I reported to active duty in the Navy.  On my way to Newport, RI I visited a friend who was in graduate school at Albany (NY) University.  Albany, located about 140 miles north of New York City is in interior New York State, and can get pretty cold.  Well, my friend and I decided to go to an on campus concert.  It was so cold (below zero) and very windy that we opted to drive, though it was just across campus.  Everyone else had the same idea, so parking anywhere nearby seemed impossible. But I had an old 1962 VW with a sunroof.  We found a space where a parking space hog parked over the line, taking two spaces.  But there was still room, barely, for my little car, as long as I didn't open the doors.  So I let my friend out, pulled into the space, and climbed out of the sunroof.  Ah, to be young(those days even during comparatively warm temps I gotta wear warm clothes. Fall hunting season is getting into my bones, had to grab extra insulation stuff from a local hunting store https://gritrsports.com/ ).  Now I have enough trouble getting out of a car through the door.

 

Ken

-10F sounds not too bad. I have a story of going to Finland in winter for a business trip(I think i was like early 2010s). During my 5 days there temperatures never went higher than -22F. There are still like whole collection of winter gear I've bought on the very first day over there, 'cause mine wasn't warm enough

Edited December 12, 2022 by truckerJay

[flyingfish55]

Moscow late December 1994. Cannot remember the exact figure but certainly around -28. Stepped outside and my moustache froze. Was happy to return to a relatively warm (minus 15 or thereabouts) St Petersburg (not the Florida one).