Cold Weather On It's Way

[19&41]

I put my shrink film storm window on the living room windows. (tandem double hung windows) It's supposed to get into the '30s midweek. pretty soon, I'll have to close my powered crawlspace vent and plug in the heat tapes. I may be the only one in Georgia with them and I even have a real ice scraper.

[TC Chris]

I had a whole week of driving to work last week--it rained every day. But this week started with yeah, snow. Midday it came down notably for a few minutes. Nothing serious, no accumulation, but as soon as the NPR news is over I'm heading out to bring the geraniums in for the winter. They are saying lows of 29 degrees tonight. That usually means inland, not near the water where I am, but better safe than sorry. This was the 30th year for my original geranium, and all the others are offspring.

I did bike to work today. The cold only nips for the first block or so. The real issue is the eyes--cold wind makes them water and then it's harder to look out for inept drivers. Coming home, I was headed west into a cold west wind and things were blurry. I must have looked wretched--three drivers waved me through at stop signs.

Chris Campbell

[maxidyne]

We shut the air conditioning off yesterday. Only 82 outside right now. We stay here in summer so we can enjoy the weather this time of the year.....

[William]

I had 34 this morning with a dusting of snow, and the high for today was only 36. The weather guessers have changed their minds. Their first prediction was rain snow mix, now it's 1-3" of snow. Over the last 3 days we had all the leaves cleaned up with what's fallen so far. Last night the wind changed to the NW and now we have leaves everywhere again. If we truly get 3" of snow the leaf raking will be on hold for a few days, at least I hope it's only a few days as there are still plenty of leaves to come down yet.

Bill

[19&41]

It was 80 degrees here today and the trees are just dumping their leaves. It seems incongruous, hot weather and fall at the same time.

[electra225]

What is the coldest it gets at your place, Rex? I wasn't aware that you got a lot of winter being as far south as you are.

It can get down into the high 20's here in the depth of winter. Usually lasts about a week, but it gets cold enough to nip the bouganvillas, then you have to cut them back.

[19&41]

It can get into the 20's here too. Not as often as 40 degree days. We get a few 60 degree days mixed in. Today it'll start in the 40's and rise to the upper 50's in the late afternoon.

[Conelrad]

The low was 46F yesterday AM, here outside of Maricopa, AZ.

Yay!

[Motorola minion]

The low was 46F yesterday AM, here outside of Maricopa, AZ.

Yay!

Thats probably a welcome change from the endless heat. I was in AZ once in January, it's not like that Florida winter that everyone moves down there for.

PA has the spectacular color foliage that New England had a few weeks ago. Sunday's rain took some leaves down in the back of our place but the trees still look great at sunset. First frost last night after a day of rain, but sunny today and daytime temps probably above 65

[walyfd]

The Caldwells on the Hudson Sunday from the 20th Century Limited...

Poconos were bare on Thursday

[TC Chris]

I'm in Michigan's "snow belt" but it's the Lake Michigan counties south of here that have the winter storm watch--poss. 5" of snow, per the radio. Up here, it's alternating sun and sprinkles of snow. The trick-or-treaters will be showing up shortly--I see some across the street right now.

Chris Campbell

[William]

You are right, Chris, we have had snow here off and on all day with an occasional bit of sunshine. South of me, is where the snow fall is.

Bill

[19&41]

I used to live in that area south of you and it got old constantly having streams of snow dumped on us and having to figure out where to shovel the new load of snow. I'll never forget when I got in the car with 2 feet of snow on the roads and more falling and driving over to I-69 and then straight south, not stopping til I got to Atlanta with my heap looking like a saltine cracker. I was so happy to escape that crappideaux. Snow looks nice on a Christmas card. Nowhere else.

[TC Chris]

As soon as the kiddos headed out for candy, the clouds moved in and some snow showers began. The real issue was the cold temps. It's about 35 deg. F. out now, not cold by winter standards but when we're just easing into the dark season (or if you're wearing a Halloween costume) it feels like zero. Result? Not enough kids. Too much candy!!!!!!! I will haul the excess into the office, but guess who will gobble most of it?

I'm a winter fan, real winter that is. This intermediate stuff is not my favorite. I probably inherited my snow-shoveling genes from my Alabama-born mother, who measured everybody's civic responsibility by how well and how quickly they cleaned the sidewalks and driveways. Those who just let the snow get packed into ice were in the same category as gluttons, drunks, and thieves. She shoveled promptly unless the snow fell around school's out time, which made it us kids' duty.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

I do the "bah humbug" routine to the trick or treaters. I get enough of those little buggers in the store. My porch light is off with a sign in the yard "beware of dog". Bentley is all keyed up with strangers walking down the street.

46 in Maricopa? BRRR! You should move here to God's country, Dennis. It said 54 on the car thermometer this morning. It's odd here in the desert how much difference there can be in temperatures depending on where you are.

You should have seen the amount of candy we sold today at the store. They had the Halloween stuff half off, but the candy was full boat.

I liked riding on the sled behind grandpa's Percheron mares and I enjoyed plowing snow with my old Fergie. I did not like scooping sidewalks, digging out stuck cars, putting chains on truck duals, gelled fuel, building a fire under a Cummins diesel to get it to start. Frozen hog waterers. No sirree. Not for this old boy. I'll gladly take the heat. A swimming pool is lots more fun that all the above.

[William]

The weather guessers report on channel 30 this morning had Muskegon number one for snow fall yesterday with 11.2 inches on the ground. Just 35 miles north in little ole' Hart we got a dusting. I'm glad it was them and not us.

Bill

[electra225]

Wow! I reckon it's the first of November, so it's that time of year. Seems to me that summer was shorter this year than usual. Where does the time go? Do you have your snow blower all up and running, ready to go?

[TC Chris]

I always put the snow tires on before Thanksgiving (learned the hard way). One of my front tires has a screw head showing, and I'm not going to see if it's a short screw or a long one until I am taking the rears off for the snows, and will have a replacement on hand in case the screw is long (learned the hard way).

For some reason, I only need tire service when it's tire-changing season. I have my snows on wheels so i can do them myself, but most of the population cannot so much as remove a lug nut, much less actually remove & replace a wheel. They line up at the tire shop at this time of year, and when I go in to get a plug installed (maybe), the guy at the counter says "It'll take a while."

This morning I woke up to find white stuff on above-ground surfaces, including my windshield. It did not last, but I had to dig a windshield brush out of the garage so I could drive to a PT appointment for my heels. I'm an optimist; I have not put an ice scraper in the truck yet. And I'm still riding the summer bike to work.

Chris Campbell

[19&41]

All of the time I lived in snow country, I've never owned snow tires. The closest thing to them I had on a car was my 700X16 zipper treaded tires on my Jeepster Commando. That car would get me through just about anything I came across in Utah. All the rest of the cars and trucks I had had conventional all season tires.

[TC Chris]

I always managed to navigate my front-engine, RWD vehicles through the snow with regular tires, even one night when I had to dodge abandoned vehicles in traffic lanes and run stop lights to avoid losing momentum. The little '62 Corvair was the only non-front-engine car I ever had and it was a champ in snow, even with barely adequate retreads. But then I moved north and had more occasions to drive in unplowed areas in a pickup truck. Even with weights in the back a 2WD pickup is not a snow hero, so I broke down and bought snow tires.

I'm smiling at the thought of the Corvair. I have never had a vehicle I did not like, but the little air-cooler has a special place in my heart. It tolerated all the abuse I gave it and always got me where I was going. But really, I've never had a vehicle I did not like. And my heroic little red Ranger, the current daily driver, is the best of the lot. Durable, faithful, a delight to drive. It has all I could want. Red paint. Two doors. Long bed. 4 cylinders. Manual transmission. And, after 18 years, AC that still works.

Chris Campbell