Polar Vortex of DOOOOOM

[donutsweeper]

So it never actually got to -40 without windchill here but it did hit -38f, which is close enough in my books. With windchill it went down to somewhere around -58f, possibly even -60f (I've seen it recorded as different things) and the coldest it's been in over 20 years. Fun times.

Many stores closed early/completely, the post office didn't deliver for two days (not sure if it will today or not) and overall everyone's just hunkered down inside if they can. Molly does *not* appreciate walks in this and pretty much goes out to do her business and immediately turns to head back. Normally, I make her get some exercise anyway, but in this? I don't care if we were outside for less time than it took to put winter gear on, I'm heading back in the second she wants to.

Last year Minneapolis hosted the Super Bowl and I can't help but think of how it would be if this vortex happened the week leading up to it. Considering some of the news reports coming out of the region now (beer isn't being delivered because it's too cold, oh NOOOO; trains are being kept running by setting the tracks on fire to prevent the steel from buckling in the cold, etc) if a zillion reporters were here and having to report from here rather than just writing up articles from their own places? It'd be hilarious.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed this terrible weather doesn't delay new laptop from arriving, this old one is so slow and so very, very loud. *sigh*

Hope all of you are safe and warm (if in the norther hemisphere, cool if in the southern) and well supplied with donuts/dessert of your choosing!

Comments

[ride_4ever]

Colder than Canada! Yesterday here in Chicago the temperature went lower than yesterday's temperatures for the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and the Arctic Circle. Just as you said, everything was shut down and -- wow -- the train tracks were set afire.

Today, though, the library where I work has reopened, so now I'm bundling up and out into the cold I go.

[donutsweeper]

Yikes, try to stay warm!

[brumeier]

Wow. You win Vortex Bingo! LOL! Here in NY it only got down to the -30s with the windchill. This morning it was -23 and now it's a positively balmy -13. All of our local schools were closed today, including mine. So snow day!

I'd heard about mail service being shut down, but wow on the train tracks! I didn't know that was a thing.

Glad you're staying safe and warm!

[donutsweeper]

That's still plenty cold too! Yuck!

[elanya]

We only almost hit -40 (the magic number where the systems meet ;) overnight on Tuesday with the windchill, but the last two morning s of waiting for the bus in windchills between -30 and -36 (c) were quite sufficient for me. Monday night (around -34C with windchill) I got a touch of frostburn on my face taking dog #2 out when I got home from work because my scarf was so wet from the condensation from my breath that it tried to freeze to my cheek :| I think because I was inside juuuust long enough after taking dog #1 for the frost to melt on it before I got back out with her. (Dog #1 has got health problems so I can't take them together any more :/)

[donutsweeper]

Yikes, that sounds as unpleasant as it was here. It's been warming up here (slowly but steadily) since yesterday, I hope you're seeing a similar trend!

[elanya]

It's supposed to be up above freezing here next week. I'm going to get weather whiplash ;p

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[donutsweeper]

Ooh, I know what you mean. There's supposed to be a 75 degree (f not c) difference between the lowest temp on Thursday to the highest on Sunday. WTF Mother Nature, go home, you are drunk!

[elanya]

Probably we should stop putting crap into her system, or something :(

[donutsweeper]

Probably, but couldn't she just smite the main perpetrators?