Question about REAL cold.

Frightened Inmate #2

For you that experience these types of temps, can you tell the difference between -10°F and -20°F or does your internal cold indicator just max out at some point and you can't tell when it gets colder than a certain temperature.

Member

hmmm, I can definitely tell the difference between single digit temps and negative temps but as far as -10 to -20? it is just plain cold. Your shoes get hard when walking (or running even)

Flailing Homosapiens

Member

When it gets below 0 here it's just cold to me. This morning was -10 when I woke up with windchills being -25. brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I find the wind is what I feel the most when it's cold. It can cut right thru you.

Member

once it gets to single digits...it's relative....unless there is a windchill factor. If the weather report say 10 with windchill of -15......it's dang cold!

Member

Havent experienced temps lower than 20 degrees but even at around that, your feet should feel numb

Member

when i was stationed in Kansas we would have two weeks each winter that was normally under 0 even as a high. At that point it was just COLD when we hit the single digits it was tolerable. and 32F was a dang heat wave.

Hipster Doofus

There's been once (maybe twice) when I've been outside with a windchill of eighty below (I spelled it out so you didn't think it was a typo). Being dressed for the occasion, I didn't notice the cold anywhere near as much as walking into the wind. The only time I know when the cold is getting to me is when my eyes water.

The Movie Geek

Adjunct

I think gross changes i.e. -20 vs 10 but I think the real indicator is the wind.

I was shoveling yesterday with no wind and was okay even thought it was 5 but when the wind picked up it felt like cold water got splashed on me in a hot shower.

Master of Prissface

Ditto what po po said. I like the cold so unless it is really windy I don't notice anything until it hits close to 0 and then my asthma kicks in. I know it was cold last night when I got home because I hacked all the way to the car.

It's a whopping 11 with wind chill here in Montgomery County right now....howzabout where y'all are?

Member

It's all about the skin! Mr. Green

"By definition, Wind Chill Temperature is the temperature that it feels like. It is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by combined effects of wind and cold. Without wind, the air next to skin warms by contact (conduction) and provides an invisible blanket around the skin. As the wind speed increases, this protective layer of heated air is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate. With heat loss from the skin, the body must either generate more heat or itself cool down."

Hence, the need to dress in layers. But if you're not exposed to the wind? No biggie.

"Because wind chill is based on removing heat from the human body, there is no wind chill for inanimate objects, such as car radiators and water pipes. However, there is a faster heat loss with increasing winds, so the amount of time for an object to cool to the actual air temperature is less. Regardless, the inanimate object cannot not cool below the actual air temperature. Thus, if the temperature outside is -5 degrees Fahrenheit and the wind chill temperature is -31 degrees Fahrenheit, then your car's radiator will not drop lower than -5 degrees Fahrenheit."

Pyromaniac

The wind is definitely the issue when it comes to cold weather. Anything down to zero or slightly below is pretty tolerable for me but throw a 10 mph or greater wind into the equation and it gets miserable in a big hurry. I have decent (not great) cold weather clothing to wear if I need to be outside for an extended period of time. Those guys and gals really up north (jrjo and the rest of the northerners) probably own entirely different winter time wardrobes than the rest of us.

my boys could swim

Well, it's all cold, but I think the difference for me, is how quick and hard it hits you.

You know...at 0 degrees...it's cold..but if you're bundled up...it takes a little while to cut through.

-10 it cuts through pretty darn quick

-20 you are frozen almost instantly

-30 I get cold standing by the door, waiting to go out.

Member

The average winter cold, say +10 to +30, is not really too bothersome to me. As a matter of fact I usually do not wear gloves in winter for most activities. If I am going from car to office or to store I usually do not buttom up or put on gloves. In fact, if I am driving a long distance I take the heavy coats off so I can be comfortable while driving.

I can definetly tell when the temps are below zero though. My hands get very stiff, and I feel the cold much quicker. At this time I get very careful with what I wear to include a hat and gloves.

I will add I am very respectful of winter weather and carry boots, heavier gloves and scarves with me in my car in case of breakdown. If I was going to be outside for a long period I would be wearing thermal long johns, and be much more protected than I am when I know I'll only be out for a few seconds.