Wednesday, January 14, 2009

tired of cold weather reporting

Okay, so we've been told it is going to be bone chilling cold tonight. The reasonable among us will not go outdoors unless necessary. We know that, after all we were born and raised in Minnesota. We're used to this.

So I get annoyed at the media weather forecasters who keep emphasizing the predicted wind chill numbers for tonight. Wind chill is a calculated number, and frankly, those of us who are affected by wind chill have no way of knowing whether the calculated numbers are representative of what really goes on out there. It's just another way to exaggerate the perfectly normal human experience, I think.

We just know, from experience, that it is freaking cold out there, the wind just makes it feel worse, and staying indoors is a very good idea.

I just put my faith in the National Weather Service, who says we will hit 30 degrees above by Sunday. Now there's a mid January forecast I can live with!

I must add, a couple of my coworkers are taking the day off tomorrow to go ice fishing. Yes, it's the winter trout opener, and they would not miss it for the world. I would like to go, but I would miss the opener for a nicer day out ice fishing.

9 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Are you kidding me?
Thirty on Sunday?
YAHOOO!!!!

i'm getting a little stir crazy here....

Anonymous said...

I love the "Minnesotarctica" label. I have to ask though, what is the temp at your "unofficial coldest spot in Minnesota"?

Heidi said...

Wow, Deb!

"It's just another way to exaggerate the perfectly normal human experience, I think."

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking this evening!

A said...

Well, I realize I am a complete weirdo here, but the bitter winter cold is actually one of the reasons I live here. And I actually do try to get outside if I can. (I'm not stupid enough to endanger my life though, so rest easy.) This is what it is supposed to be like here in the winter. I embrace it. It adds to the feeling of being alive in a very visceral way.

OK, now everyone can shake their heads and say what a lunatic I am. Go ahead, I'm used to it. :)

Deb said...

Gah! I just typed out responses to all, then closed the comment window instead of hitting "publish"...brain freeze I guess!

Lynne- I can't wait to go running-in my shorts! :)

dharma bum- I believe Floridacracker came up with that term.

It was -22 on my car thermometer, -27 by the new house, and -35 by the cabin. So what was the real temperature? All of them? ;)

Heidi- I can't believe nearly every school in Minnesota is closed today. I woke the kids up, drove them out to the end of the driveway, and we were waiting for the school bus!

Forest Wisdom- It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it, but I feel that way too. My husband, on the other hand, thinks I'm a lunatic. ;)

barefoot gardener said...

AMEN, Sister!

I am still heading outside at night to smoke at work (can't quite stand still long enough to smoke the whole thing, but hey), and when school was cancelled for today Dad decided to take the Sprouts and I out for breakfast. The waitress was sure we were nuts for heading out in this weather, but I was already OUT in it. I had to go to work, didn't I?!

Anyway, I am getting tired of the whining about the cold too. This is MN. This is a NORMAL MN winter. We have all just been spoiled lately by the mild winters we have been having.

It's funny, but not, ya know?

A said...

Barefoot gardener,
You're absolutely right about us having been "spoiled" (or made soft) by recent milder winters here. This IS what Minnesota is supposed to be like this time of year. That's why I am glad to see it....
:)

Deb said...

Barefoot- You are right, this is NORMAL. A few people might suffer from stupidity, or taking Ambien (did you hear about that sleepwalker guy who froze to death? Sad.) but really, this is what to expect around here.

FW- It was about time we got a reminder of what winter is supposed to be like!

RuthieJ said...

The only good thing I can say about the really cold weather is that I appreciate it so much more when the temps are 20 ABOVE zero!
(but we sure didn't see anything close to 30 on Sunday, did you?)