What? It's Cold Outside?
In case you haven't heard, it's cold outside. It's true, a good portion of the United States is under the coldest freeze in many many years. If you just take one step outside, your breath just gets taken away. I'm guessing a hundred years ago people went outside to figure out how cold it was. In today's world, you don't have to leave your house to know it's cold. There are all kinds of media and gadgets to tell you in case stepping outside isn't enough for you to know. For today, here are a few ways you know it's cold outside if you can't figure it out yourself.
Turn on Your Television: Those sharing the forecast are happy to build the drama of the cold. They'll teach you about the polar vortex. Show you maps to help you know how cold it really is. They'll use their gadgets to keep you informed.
School Closings: Yes, when the school closing start to roll you'll know it's cold.
Check Facebook. Every post is about being cold. I'm sure if you scroll through your feed you'll find comments, comics, and images about the temperature outside. Yep, in case you didn't know, it's cold outside.
Open Twitter. Everyone is talking about how cold it is outside. There are even some cold inspired hashtags: #chiberia, #polarvortex, or #deepfreeze14Still don't know it's cold?
Check your weather app.
Ask Your Car. If you're still not sure and you decide to go out to find out for yourself, your car might tell you. My Nissan tells me when it is cold by declaring "LOW TEMPERATURE." My Nissan thinks it should live in Florida apparently as it starts telling me "low temperature" at 37 degrees. Really? 37 degrees isn't cold in Ohio. This week, however, when it registered negative numbers I agreed it might be cold.
There you have it; a few ideas for determining whether it might be cold or not. If none of these work, perhaps try the old fashioned method of going outside for a bit. How bundled up do you need to be? Can you see your breath? Does the air just take it away? Can you feel the cold grab your cheeks? Yep, it's winter. Bundle up.
I'd love to hear the funny ways you know it's cold in the 21st century.
Hee, hee. With all of our gadgets to be connected, we are sometimes so out of touch. I know It's cold when the water on my kick board ( I swim outside at 5 am ) freezes. I'm in Southern California so I can't complain. In fact I'm apologetic for not having to scrape my windshield in the am. But I do get a little cold in 37º am temps when I'm in a wet bathing suit reaching for the kick board! No gadget needed.
ReplyDeleteMy car told me it was one degree outside today. One! Oye! I watched it go from 39 degrees in my garage to one degree outside. What a depressing way to watch it drop as I drove.
ReplyDeleteStay warm, Cathy!
You know it's cold when the snow piles up on your window sill blocking your view of the snow falling.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear the shutters banging in protest and the pipes squawking, I know it will mean wool sweaters and gloves.
ReplyDeleteBernadette
We had an indoor-outdoor thermometer that told us what the weather was like by not only displaying the temps, but a woman dressed for the weather. She wasn't from Maine, though. She never put on her Bean boots or put earflaps down... however, in summer she wore a bikini (yea, it finally broke).
ReplyDeleteCathy,
ReplyDeleteYour post is fun! I just had to send you the instaweather pic via twitter! I do like the app though-I originally got it to use with the kids last year to make a daily weather journal. You can choose skins etc. it's fun!
Isn't technology wonderful. And then those weather forecasters who stand outside to do their forecast (and most of them have light jackets and nothing on their heads). I usually look at the thermometer and then snuggle up under a blanket near the fire! I'm ready for spring!
ReplyDeleteMy car doors were frozen shut after school - that was a nasty surprise, and another way to learn how very cold it is outside these days.
ReplyDeleteWe're on the edge, so only got to about 6 or 7 below this time. I know it's cold when I finally put on a stocking hat! Or, it's a two-coat day! Love the approach, Cathy, but imagine having to go out as a farmer to milk the cows, feed the horses, etc. My mother used to say she knew it was awful when their pitcher/washbowl water was frozen in the am. Hm-no griping from me!
ReplyDeleteFor me, walking down the front hallway and feeling the arctic blast coming through the front door. I ran upstairs to get an old, old quilt to put at the base of the door to block the chilly air. My husband was home today and found an old space heater from our apartment days, yes 20 years ago and put in on out in the hallway.
ReplyDeleteSo it's cold in Ohio this week? My best measure is my dog-mometer. The colder it is, the closer she gets! Sunday, at 2 degrees she slept across my lap; yesterday, at 12 degrees, she was on my feet, and today, when it's about 30, she's at the other end of the couch.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post! We took advantage of the cold and snow - we made snow ice cream!
ReplyDelete