Houston we have a freeze

[JRabbit]

It's COOLDDDD here in the Bayou City today. We got down to 21 degrees F last night, and it was 25 F this morning. Even so, my wardrobe choice this morning was my WG Wested, a cotton button down with a white T underneath, and my hat.

The parking lot at my company is huge and I had a LONG walk in. Even so, with a biting 15 mph north wind, I wasn't cold at all. Sure, my hand holding my coffee cup and ears were feeling pretty chilly from the exposure. But my arms and torso were toasty warm in the Wested.

Maybe it's because the washed goat is thicker/heavier than lamb, but I think I'll be able to get by in the harshest winters Houston has to offer with my trusty Wested.

JRabbit.

[edited because I'm a DA and had the wrong temp scale]

[rover smith]

21 degrees C last night

You sure about that dude? Sounds pretty warm to me, we were down to minus 14 degrees C here in Glasgow the other night! brrrrrr.

[VP]

-19°C here at the moment.

[Michaelson]

Considering where you guys live, that temperature is considered normal. Our winter average temperature is between 50 and 60 degree F, and even warmer in the Houston area. That's why birds migrate here.

It is currently 18 degrees F outside this building as we speak, with wind chill of -10. Tonight they're predicting wind chills of -20.

When I drove into work today, I saw small piles of dead blackbirds (who migrate to this area during the winter, as do ducks and geese (and would you believe seagulls! )) along and on the highway.
I finally put two and two together when I noticed that every place there was a bunch of dead birds, it was directly under an overhead power line that crossed the road. Birds are freezing to death and falling off the wires onto the road below.

Yep, cold temps are normal for YOU folks, but it would be comparible to you folks experiencing an extended heat wave of 110+ degrees F and having minimal A/C. That's a walk in the park for us Southerners.

It's all relative.

I'm sure enjoying my leather jackets right now. Perfect for layering, and the leather is doing it's job as a wind shield.

Regards! Michaelson

[VP]

Just returned from the sauna, it was about 200 degrees.

[Michaelson]

NOW you're talking about a good Southern summer!

Regards! Michaelson

[rover smith]

Its actually not been this cold in Glasgow for some years, so cold the Clyde has frozen over, I dont ever remember that happening.

The birds freezing and falling off the power lines is crazy though.

[Flyderf]

I live in Chicago, and visit Houston often for work. It is all relative. They are freezing when it gets below 40 F. That's the temperature I put on a light jacket. It's even more fun to be with a Houstonian up in the northern latitudes. Cold to me is when it approaches 0 F. I will say the buildings down there are not built to same insulation standards as a northern home. Don't worry Houston, it's forecast to be back in the 60's next week. Just in time for my weekly visit!

[RCSignals]

The birds freezing and falling off the power lines is crazy though.

OK that is crazy. I've been in some pretty cold places where there were still birds about, but never saw any freeze like that.
Now put your sling shot away

[binkmeisterRick]

Don't you guys know? He was just killing two birds with one stone.

[that_dog]

Sounds like autumn in L.A.... you know, when the birds change colors and fall out of the trees.

[Tibor]

I live in the Chicago area and the last two days we had some snow. I'd cleared off the first day's by late morning but it kept snowing. A while later I went out to do some more and found a squirrel had come down right on the front walk. I'm not sure if it was exposure, a missed jump, or old age, but he was gone.

Now it's not like we have a shortage of them, but sad to see life losing battles with the elements. Keep the fires burning.

[Michaelson]

Talk about 'crazy', I'm waiting for Dr. Ulloa to chime in here, as I read on MSNBC yesterday that in Miami they're having problems dealing with iguana's getting so cold they're falling out of trees on people. I wonder if he can confirm, since he lives there.

Now THAT would be something to see!

...and no, I'm not out target practicing either.




Regards! Michaelson

[RCSignals]

Iguanas would be effected before the warm blooded. I wonder if they survive freezing like frogs and salamanders do?

[Michaelson]

I imagine they can survive for a short period of time....I just don't think a fall out of a tree would be too good for their well being, though.

Regards! Michaelson

[rover smith]

Nor the people they're falling on

[crismans]

It's not been around the freezing point this month (usually hanging around the teens). Been wearing all sorts of jackets, Indy and otherwise.

[Holt]

I just checked

-30 here at the moment.

alittle further up north in Norway people reported -50.

beat that!

[Michaelson]

-52 in North Dakota yesterday.

I'm glad I don't live in North Dakota right now.

Regards! Michaelson

[crismans]

I think that I would officially go mad if I lived in Fargo.

[jacksdad]

i live near Chicago too, it's going to get really cold this weekend but I think Norway and Fargo has us beat. That would be way too cold. even for an old chicago like me,

[Long John Tinfoil]

I heard a news report about the iguanas yesterday. Apparently they're an introduced species and some environmentalists see a potential die-off as a good thing. One guy was apparently driving around collecting them for disposal. Threw them in the back of the car and hit the highway...

Of course, being thin-blooded himself he had the heat cranked up.

So the iguanas revived, climbed up and around the seat and onto his neck and lap. Nearly caused quite a wreck.

LJ

[VP]

Haven't heard any stories of frozen animals here, lots of talk about whether we should have cross-country skiing tracks all over the recreational trails or not and that the city should do a better job at snowplowing the streets, sidewalks and bike paths.

Post #5000.

[RCSignals]

........

So the iguanas revived, climbed up and around the seat and onto his neck and lap. Nearly caused quite a wreck.

LJ

I'm not surprised that they weren't dead.

[jnicktem]

I live in MinneSNOWta... and this entire week I don't think we have had anything above 0 degrees F. My car was parked outside a couple of days ago for a couple of hours and it actually needed a jump to get it started! It was THAT cold!!!

The good news is it is supposed to be in the 20's and 30's F next week! It's going to feel like a heat wave!

[crismans]

Not quite that cold here J, but we're expected to get into the 40s next week (after being in the teens/low 20s for all of January). I've got my flip flops and shorts ready!

[Michaelson]

I haven't attempted to awaken the old Plymouth since Thursday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow, as that's when I'll wind it up again in preparation for work Monday. It's supposed to be in the single digits tonight, then warm up during the days....so we'll see how things go.

Regards! Michaelson

[Tibor]

A guy I met in Michigan ran an antique store and had a 1940 Ford that he drove around. When the weather got really cold, he could still start the old Ford long after his regular ride gave up.

Sometimes simple machines are the best for the job.

[Michaelson]

Sometimes they are....and sometimes they're not.

The Plymouth turned right over. Do you think the conversion from 6v to 12v may have had something to do with it?

Regards! Michaelson

[Tibor]

New name for the Plymouth ... Frankenstein.

"It's alive!"