Growing up in upstate New York, I’m used to cold winters.
This week has been brutal though.
The area seems to be struggling just to get out of single digits and we’ve had wind chill announcements for a couple of days now.
The National Weather Service’s weather report today for my town says: “Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 6. Wind chill values as low as -17. Blustery, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.”
Brrr!
Fun times!
Since when did this part of New York turn into Alaska?
You laugh. Think I’m kidding?
According to the Weather Channel’s app on the iPhone, as of this writing, it’s 5 degrees in my town — with a wind chill of 12-below-zero. In Anchorage, Alaska, at the same time, it’s 27 degrees (feels like 22).
Now, I realize if you get to the top of Alaska in Barrow (which, strangely enough, is a place I’d actually like to visit), it’s 12 below (feeling like 31 below). But that’s extreme, right there.
I am not in Barrow. I’m in upstate New York. And heck, we’re actually closer to central New York than actually being way upstate, such as in Watertown (0 degrees/-13 wind chill as of now).
I’ll be fair and note there are some blue skies out there. It really does look inviting.
Alas, the NWS has issued a wind chill advisory in the area until 7 p.m. tonight (though from looking forward, I wouldn’t be shocked to see this change and become even longer):
A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN WINDS COMBINE WITH VERY COLD TEMPERATURES TO CREATE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS FOR EXPOSED SKIN. THE WIND CHILL IS EXPECTED TO BE COLD ENOUGH TO CAUSE FROSTBITE IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR LESS…AND COULD LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. THOSE PLANNING TO VENTURE OUTDOORS SHOULD USE COMMON SENSE AND DRESS WARMLY…MAKING SURE THAT ALL EXPOSED SKIN IS COVERED.
That is absolutely a fun thing to read. Something tells me I should brave the weather to go start my car and let it run for a few though.
Relief appears to be coming soon, though. The next two days show a high of 15 — with the chance of 1-3 inches of snow tomorrow night, though! Cold and snow.
Ugh!
Sunday boosts to mostly sunny and a whopping 22. At some point midweek, they are calling for the 30s, as well as one day in the mid 40s (though with rain), before dropping back down into the upper 20s/low 30s. That’s what winter is supposed to be.
A friend sent me this photo — from 7:30 a.m. near the Cooperstown area. Yikes!
Not 5.
Though I hope it doesn’t get too warm for too long. I’m looking to go to a geocaching event next Saturday, and it’s on a frozen pond. So that warmer weather (in the 40s, anyway) and rain can kind of go away for a little while as this event sounds like a heap of fun.
But that’s still 10 days away. I’m more worried about now.
And staying inside where it’s warm. It’s a good thing I have a job hunt to keep me inside. Because if I had to be outside on a day like this, I think I’d be miserable.
Brrrr!
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