I would much rather have cold than hot and humid! Here it will be single digits in daytime (although wind chill is lower, and when did they stop calling it wind chill?) No new snow, and most of the latest snow melted on Thursday, especially where there are fewer trees or a south-facing slope, however slight. Yawn. However, the Smartwool socks that DS’ GF gave me last year for Christmas are certainly welcome in the morning! I pair them with a fuzzy footy over the sock partly to avoid wearing holes in the sock and also for layering!

I am a house-shoes gal, never liked going around in bare or stockinged feet, and when it is this cold my slip-on Keds with socks really help keep me warm.

oh and I forgot to add- I don't care for extremes either way but generally I can take hot and humid, as long as you don't rush me and make me be quick. I cannot stand being cold.

We will have overnight lows in single digits for a couple/few nights but we built a 'Chicago house' so are ready for it. Seems to happen most years since we've lived here which makes me wonder why there isn't more attention paid to construction. We've also lost power in the past during a cold snap and the house never dipped below 60 which is chilly for sitting around but nothing critical. OTOH, we do have to keep our well head warm and DH just checked the heat tape to find it not functioning so off to HD/Lowes he goes - fingers crossed they are not sold out.

The temp here will drop below freezing this afternoon and stay below freezing for 90 hours according to the local forecasters (10-25F range). No power outages are expected but for short term power loss placing water filled plastic containers in the freezer now will produce blocks of ice that you can place in the fridge compartment if you lose power. It won't help things in the freezer but it should keep items in the fridge cold for a while longer.

An appreciable chance of "wintry mix" is forecast for tomorrow night, Mon into Tue. Predicted 17°F low Tue night/Wed morn ... then back to the 60°Fs on Sat.

We had snow in 2004, 2009, and 2017.

I measured almost 9" accumulation in 2004, a rare occurrence. The last 4 pics are the next morn.

I'm not faron, but we are north of him and incredibly cold. We are used to it and so always have the cold weather practicalities taken care of from November to March, but this is really cold - even for us. I think it is sweeping across the continent (altho DD2 in Victoria BC just sent pics of green grass).

I appreciate the list of things as it reminded me of the chemical warmers. My mom and brother live 1.5 hours out of the city and their power has a tendency to shut down every once in a while just long enough for the house to cool off. We were talking about whether or not to get a generator or wood stove, but in the meantime, those chemical warmers would be just the ticket.

I'm kind of excited about the 3 to 4 inches of snow expected. I live in a NYC apartment with good steam heat and don't have to worry about shoveling, generators, etc. I get to just relax and enjoy looking out the window. I may bundle up and go for a walk, too. We are some of the lucky few who have a woodburning fireplace. Yesterday, like a true pioneer woman, I went out with my wheely cart in search of wood. Found a store that still had some and bought two bundles. I won't shock you with the price of firewood in Manhattan. Let's just say it would have been cheaper to buy roses. But I'm an Aries who loves her fireplace. I'd take a bundle of wood to a bouquet of flowers anyday!

DS’ neighbor across the hall in his vintage Chicago neighborhood apartment building has a little bundle of firewood outside their door. It’s been there as long as he has lived there. No fireplaces, can’t even have a grill on your wooden outside stairs on the alley. No idea what this little bundle is for. It’s not decorated, and not particularly decorative.

I remember when my niece and her then-husband lived in NYC in a small apartment. Neither she nor her Brazilian husband had any idea of the measurement of firewood.. They ordered a cord! It filled the entire entry hall to their apartment. Not sure how they resolved that.

We've been in the mid to upper 20's overnight and that's too cold for me. We're pretty well prepared always - I live with Mr. Safety 😊- and have lanterns, super bright flashlights, gas grill where we can cook outside (him, not me) , cold weather clothing and gear as well as lots of throws, comforters, blankets. A gas fireplace that provides only a little heat but its heat.

To prepare for these few unusually cold nights (for us here on the coast) we brought in one of two hummingbirds feeders from both in front and in back last night last night on the chance the nectar might freeze (it's usually good to about 25-26F), my geraniums and more tender potted things came into the garage, I threw an old tablecloth over an an agave that is borderline hardy only. I wish I'd remembered the hummingbirds favorite salvias and covered those, but didn't - forgot about them until I was cozy in bed. Will probably be replacing in Spring.

We're house watching for a SIL/BIL while they swim and golf in Hawaii for three months, I did go the few blocks to their house yesterday and opened under sink cupboards where the kitchen sink is on an outside wall. The heat pump is on and I don't think a pipe has ever frozen there but I wasn't taking any chances. Better things to do this week than deal with a plumber working at their house 😊

DH is going to a mens only birthday dinner tomorrow night and asked for a dessert this morning. I said Yes, but you'll be driving me to the store for a couple of ingredients I'll need and dropping me at the door. Both our local grocery stores are right on the river and the wind like ice down there.

We are actually in a blizzard right now. It's been a few years since this happened. So much for the winter long-range forecast given in December... a mild winter with some precipitation, mostly rain. Our temps are in the upper 20s now but will fall to zero at nights and teens in the day for most of the week. ...edited to add. Like bpath I love winter and prefer it over the hot humid awful summers we've been having.

Our pipes are usually okay, and I have pup pipe insulation where I can (partly to keep the hot water hot as it travels through the basement), but we have a laundry and half bath that are on outside wall, garage wall, and over the unheated crawlspace, so I leave the room and cabinet doors open and I think I’ll trickly the water in the sink overnight. I think I will leave the heat set to our warmer evening temp overnight, too.

@judipudi I'm in Manhattan too. Steam heat and someone else to shovel and salt. It's pretty nice to cozy up in here. Plus my neighbor baked and delivered to me a warm coffee cake. Can't beat that!

Currently 13 degrees here. I've been freezing in my house all day. Multiple layers but it doesn't help much. I have a heatpump and it sucks in this cold. Once again thinking of getting a woodstove. I may just do it this year. In the Summer or Fall, for next Winter. I've closed my bedroom door and turned on a radiant portable heater for the time being. So glad I have a heated mattress pad.

My house (Chicago) was built for winter weather. I still leave faucets on the exterior walls at a slow drip in these temps. I probably don't need to, but it's a habit I developed over the years. My vehicle sits outside, so I'll start it once a day.

We're used to these cold spells. I feel for those who aren't, and wish you all warmth and stability!

It's so beautiful out. There is someone out in the snow, at nearly midnight, taking a picture of the square we are on (it's actually an oval). The lights are still on the iron fencing, a vestige of the holidays

Kathsgrdn, I have a heat pump. Outdoors currently is 33°. Thermostat is set at 70°F. The unit is maintaining and cycling, although it's off for only 5 to 7 mins. I have thermometers in a few areas of the house, a couple are reading a bit higher ... 70.8°F and 71°F. It's not running the auxiliary heat strips, they're locked-out until outdoors is 20°. It is a bit oversized but it's 2-stage (3-stage with auxiliary) with low stage being 30% less than full capacity. Starts on low stage, switches to high if the thermostat logic determines that's needed. The auxiliary (when allowed per the ambient lockout) doesn't engage until 2° below the setpoint. Remains to be seen if I need to change any settings during the expected 24hrs of sleet/snow beginning tomorrow evening and predicted 17° the night after that!

@Jupidupi, I love the city when it snows, but i never had a WBFPL! Wonderful. I'm headed in tomorrow, probably gray slush by the time I arrive.

29 below zero at our MN lake place this morning - actual air temperature. -15 at the place in the city. 🥶🥶🥶 Makes our SC +25 seem down right tropical.☀️😎🌴

Hovering around 0° here by my Great Lake. Of course DH wants to drive down to the lake in a little bit to 1) see the frozen lake, it is pretty cool; and 2) look for the Russian-Ukrainian aircraft that’s going to fly over, shuttling aircraft or car or somesuch parts from a plant in Canada to a plant in Mexico.

Meantime, since we were expecting a warmer winter I didn’t seal the windows, so sitting in my favorite spot it’s a bit chilly. I should join the cat in his “dry sauna“ between the couch and the south-facing window. We should loan him out to the military as a heat-seeking missile.

DS’s vintage apartment has radiators, and it is probably 76° at least. It is really warm. Regulation is by opening a window. I don’t think he can leave his butter on the counter, it would be a puddle. And he can’t keep it on the window sill, that’s where the radiator is.

The plus side of this weather: no leaf blowers!

From the NYT today:

Across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, temperatures will only reach the negative teens and single digits. The Rockies, central Plains and Midwest will see highs in the single digits to teens, while New England and the Mid-Atlantic brace for temperatures in the teens and 20s.

The frigid temperatures will feel even more severe because of dangerous wind chills, particularly in the Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Midwest. These areas are forecast to have wind chills as low as 30 to 55 degrees below zero through Tuesday morning, levels that pose a severe risk of frostbite and hypothermia to anyone with exposed skin, the Weather Service warned. Even areas as far south as the south-central Plains and the Ohio Valley will experience subzero wind chills by the middle of the week.

Not working either job today. Under the bedcovers, have added the heavy quilt on top. Warm, fluffy cat atop my stretched out legs. I'm hungry and bored, but I'm warm. Eventually the hunger will win out. I might get up and get some food.

It's sunny and 18 but in other ways, it's the ugliest day of the year.

Going back to the covers...

4AM thermometer says -15. Real feel says -25. Time to stoke the fireplace.

My indoor thermostat says it's 54°. I knew I needed a new HVAC system, but he said my heat should last me until March. But I think my heat died overnight... Tomorrow's supposed to be 8° outside. I'm saying prayers that it gets fixed for tonight and a system to be installed really really soon! I'm so cold but I'm worried about my pipes and my kitty.

Rob I hope your HVAC gets fixed soon. Unless it gets fixed right away you may need a plan B, like space heaters, or temporarily moving you and the kitties to a hotel or a friend's home. Good luck!

I'm picking up two space heaters today. One to heat up the kitchen side where there are some pretty important pipes, and one for my bedroom. Thanks for the luck! I'm 30 hours away from reasonable temps, so it might be ok if it takes a little bit of time???

I know it’s cold and all, and icy ground can be treacherous to walk on but if you are able, and your home is secure, go out for a brisk walk and enjoy the fresh cold air. That always warms me up!

I don’t want to sound flip and I understand how distressing the thought of frozen pipes can be but if you’ve got that under control a walk in the cold really does warm you up.

My sister just told me that she woke up to -36F ! That's serious, and can be dangerous, cold, but she said not to worry because later this week it's supposed to warm up to 5F.

Rob, when our heat or power would go out in the old house, we would hang out in the kitchen, doors closed, and a stock pot of water simmering on the stove. It got quite toasty but of course can't do that overnight.

I don't need to keep warm, because I'm not at the house. I'm at work. I'm incredibly worried about burst pipes. I don't need that cost on top of the HVAC system.

I HAVE HEAT! THANK GOODNESS! he fixed it. Whew.

So glad you have heat!

I have snow!!! Inches of it, that is rare here. Have been hearing the sweet sound of the children in the apartment complex playing outside in the snow and enjoying themselves.

The complex shut off the water for the entire complex, I hope we have it back by tomorrow, but I have plenty of bottled water and diet cola.

Most important, I continue to have electricity and am snug and warm.

I live in an area that regularly has snowy cold winters, but nothing like Canada or the Upper Midwest US.

Not sure if it was already mentioned, but be sure to disconnect your outside garden hoses from the faucets. Even "frost free" spigots can freeze and cause burst pipes.

I have limited experience with very cold weather (and hope to keep it that way) and with life in such places that have it but I recall with some humor an incident that suggested just how naive and sheltered I have been about it.

We were on a late Spring/early Summer trip to the Canadian Rockies. Someone had suggested we visit Moraine Lake. We were staying at that point at Lake Louise so it wasn't very far. We figured we'd have lunch there.

When we pulled up in the parking lot of the Moraine Lake Lodge, there were people all around and a flurry of activity. We walked in a side door near the parking lot and a loud voice said "The hotel is closed". I asked "is there something wrong" and heard the response "No, the hotel doesn't open until June 1st. That's tomorrow."

Disappointed about lunch, we figured we could at least wander toward the lake to enjoy the view.

Heavens to Betsy, the darn lake was frozen! I had no idea that as late as the last day in May, anywhere could be so cold as to keep a lake frozen so late in the year. Lesson learned.

The view was spectacular, as are most scenes in that part of the Canadian Rockies. But wow, how cold it must be there for most of the year.

I sent my daughter back to college in Colorado (from Oakland, CA) on Sunday. Unfortunately, she broke her wrist and is in a cast, and the can't put on her winter coat over it, or wear a glove on that hand. She's making due. Fortunately, they are in the teens, not the negative 30s.

this morning...

we never got above 7 today.

Well it’s snowing in Florida folks.

snow video

Wow! People in FL don't have winter gears. They'd better stay inside.

“Not sure if it was already mentioned, but be sure to disconnect your outside garden hoses from the faucets. Even "frost free" spigots can freeze and cause burst pipes.“

For sure. Those living in a true winter climate, will disconnect the hose before winter comes. Water trapped in the hose will cause damage. As for the ”frost free” spigots, they are only as freeze proof as the home you are living in. If your inside plumbing is freezing, then your outdoor spigot will freeze. They have to be installed properly.

We never shut our outside tap off, even at minus 40 degrees, but then our inside pipes, even on exterior walls never freeze as the house is built for a winter climate. The outside spigot is used year round.

I used to get folks from warmer places ask me when I had horses that lived outside all the time, if I had to break water open for them to drink during the winter. Yikes! no. We have a waterer that

has a bowl that fills with water as the horses drink from it (kind of like how a toilet works). It is quite a distance from the house, has a small heater, and keeps the water open even during the coldest weather.

I no longer have horses but I’ve left the waterer operating for birds, deer and anything else that needs a drink.

I no longer have horses but I’ve left the waterer operating for birds, deer and anything else that needs a drink.

You are awesome for doing that. In freezing weather, there might not be a lot of places where critters can find water.

300+ schools closed today to keep kids from waiting outside for busses. Tomorrow the high will be 30. Kids will come in shorts. 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Lucille, the wild animals and birds get their water from the food they eat, snow, and licking ice. They’re conditioned that way! They’d be fine without my waterer but it is a nice treat for them. Plus my dog seems to enjoy it.

"As for the ”frost free” spigots, they are only as freeze proof as the home you are living in. If your inside plumbing is freezing, then your outdoor spigot will freeze. They have to be installed properly." Maybe we're talking about different things, but the frost free spigots I have are not attached to the house. Most are in the yard and one is in ground in front of my unheated, detached garage. If you turn them off with no hose attached all the water that could freeze (left in the above ground part of the pipe) sinks below ground and is safe from freezing. Maybe where there are prolonged periods of below freezing weather that freezes the ground down 12-18 inches, that wouldn't be true?

If you leave a hose attached, when you turn off the spigot, it draws more water from the hose into the above ground portion and that freezes. I've never had an unattached frost free spigot freeze as long as I detach the hose. When our weather started heading into the freezing range, I detached all the hoses, then my landscape crew came and pressure washed my terrace. I went out the next day and they'd left the hose attached. grrr. But the temps were just a little below freezing and everything seems ok.

Oh yes, Olychick. We are taking about different setups. You are correct. If your spigot drains back into a spot where nothing is freezing then it will be fine. I’ve only ever had a spigot attached to my house but when it is turned off, all the water drains back into the pipe that is inside the house.

That is the same reason the water running to the horse waterer doesn’t freeze. The pipe is buried in the ground, below the frostline. The small heater keeps it from freezing when it rises above the frost line to fill the bowl.

eta I just asked my husband how deep the line to the horse waterer is buried. He said nine feet. LOL Nothing like overkill, but we’ve never had it freeze.

Olychick, I just got a whole explanation and more from my husband💕 about why fire hydrants don’t freeze up in the coldest weather. And why we had the line trenched 9 feet deep. All very interesting. 🤠

South Carolina here. It’s been really cold, got a dusting of snow today. The roads are really slippery, a bunch of accidents reported already. I did some extra grocery shopping this morning. The only important thing to prepare for this unusual cold weather was to answer the call for urgent fosters for a local rescue to get some dogs out of the cold, and into warm houses. We picked up two tiny terriers of some sort Sunday morning. Never had little dogs like that, so it’s an experience. They are 3 and 5 years old, but apparently still into puppy business :)

Well, it's currently minus one for the first time since 1994! That day broke the all-time record of 22 below. It's much lower now in some other areas.

Snow ended up being not more than 1-1/2". Lowest temp on my outdoor thermometer for night of Mon 1/20 --> morn of Tue 1/21 was 28°F.

The county NOAA station is registering 21°F @ 1:35a on Wed 1/22, AccuWeather says 24°F on whatever is their reference, with my outdoor being 29°F. Forecast low is 20°F before dawn.