That's HOT - Page 7

Eric · 02-02-2014, 15:05

Breaking news, folks. Here are the results:

Groundhog Day: predictions mixed for early spring - Canada - CBC News

Gordon Booth · 02-02-2014, 16:37

I thought the Brits were weather obsessed but you colonials are even worse!

But when some of you are talking -43 and some are talking +46 it's not surprising.

Turtle, Eric, what sort of heating systems and insulation do you have to cope with -43? I doubt if any system in the UK could deal with anywhere near that. And as it goes on so long aren't the heating bills crippling?
How do you stop your cars freezing up solid?

Dottie, the same but opposite- do you have air conditioning on all the time or do you eventually learn to live with it? What about the shopping centres etc.- are they all air conditioned?

We moan if it freezes at all and 2 inches of snow- the UK grinds to a halt. And 25 degrees in Summer- definitely a heat wave( but lots of cold beer needed so not all bad).

Eric · 02-02-2014, 17:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

I thought the Brits were weather obsessed but you colonials are even worse!

But when some of you are talking -43 and some are talking +46 it's not surprising.

Turtle, Eric, what sort of heating systems and insulation do you have to cope with -43? I doubt if any system in the UK could deal with anywhere near that. And as it goes on so long aren't the heating bills crippling?
How do you stop your cars freezing up solid?

Dottie, the same but opposite- do you have air conditioning on all the time or do you eventually learn to live with it? What about the shopping centres etc.- are they all air conditioned?

We moan if it freezes at all and 2 inches of snow- the UK grinds to a halt. And 25 degrees in Summer- definitely a heat wave( but lots of cold beer needed so not all bad).

Hydro bills can be a little high, but homes are ususally well insulated ... Cars? No problem. Antifreeze good to -40, a decent battery, survival kit in the trunk if you are taking a long trip. I put a trickle charger on mine on the brutal cold nites. Out west, where it can get real cold for a long time, most cars have block heaters.

Block heater - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And when the bitter cold comes ... it's not bad at -20

... and you have to go out, bundle up. And when you are out driving, take care ... and keep your fingers crossed.

Near crash of 2 tractor-trailers, snowplow captured on video - Thunder Bay - CBC News

shillelagh · 02-02-2014, 18:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric

Try this one:

Groundhog Day quiz - CBCNews.ca

I got 3 out of 10 ... more by luck than owt else ....

according to one of the questions tho ...

As legend has it, Europeans believed that bright, sunny weather on the Feb. 2 Candlemas foretold a longer winter.

so now that today was bright and sunny ... does this mean we are going to have a longer winter ...

Turtle · 02-02-2014, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

I thought the Brits were weather obsessed but you colonials are even worse!

But when some of you are talking -43 and some are talking +46 it's not surprising.

Turtle, Eric, what sort of heating systems and insulation do you have to cope with -43? I doubt if any system in the UK could deal with anywhere near that. And as it goes on so long aren't the heating bills crippling?
How do you stop your cars freezing up solid?

Dottie, the same but opposite- do you have air conditioning on all the time or do you eventually learn to live with it? What about the shopping centres etc.- are they all air conditioned?

We moan if it freezes at all and 2 inches of snow- the UK grinds to a halt. And 25 degrees in Summer- definitely a heat wave( but lots of cold beer needed so not all bad).

Hi Gordon, most newer houses have forced air, natural gas-burning furnaces. Newer homes have good insulation, and well sealed windows. Some folks chose to supplement this with a fireplace of some sort. Our basement was nasty and cold in winter before we got a gas fireplace down there! When the ice storm hit in December, that gas fireplace kept our whole house tolerably warm, as the furnace was not working (no electric power).
We also need central air conditioning for our hot summers. Yes, we Canucks are definitely weather obsessed. But that's because of the extremes we endure, I believe.

Eric · 02-02-2014, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by shillelagh

I got 3 out of 10 ... more by luck than owt else ....

according to one of the questions tho ...

As legend has it, Europeans believed that bright, sunny weather on the Feb. 2 Candlemas foretold a longer winter.

so now that today was bright and sunny ... does this mean we are going to have a longer winter ...

I hope so ... it's not fair that we suffer alone; misery loves company

Eric · 02-02-2014, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle

Yes, we Canucks are definitely weather obsessed. But that's because of the extremes we endure, I believe.

Indeed we are obsessed with the weather ... oh, and hockey, eh

... but a little bad weather is a small price to pay for living here. Even with extreme weather, both Canada and Australia make the top ten of "Happiest Countries in the World"

Top 10 Happiest Countries: Do You Live in One of the Most Prosperous Countries? | World of Psychology

dotti34 · 02-02-2014, 20:03

Hi Gordon - re being weather-obsessed.

Just stating the facts as they are, personally I don't let it worry me, even though I have done a few postings on the subject on this thread which might make you think otherwise I really am not obsessed with it. Have to say though it does seem to be the topic of conversation with a lot of people, and certainly not helped by the media who keep pushing it at us just how hot it is - or is going to be.

Have learnt to get on with it and over it, no option really, but of course we have also learnt to be sensible in extremes. Especially now that we're old and somewhat decrepit. (Well he is at any rate - I'm just old). It's not for more than a few weeks anyway, if that even.

We do have some air-conditioning and a fan or two at our house, but in our case we don't have air-con throughout the place and we manage very well. Certainly don't spend my time sitting in front of the cool air, and things that have to be done are done as normal. Didn't used to have anything in the form of cooling and we coped very well.

When him indoors was a working man and (irrespective of what the experts keep telling us) it WAS as hot then, he worked out in the open in the heat, stripped to the waist - got lovely and brown, this was before people realised that sometimes the sun and getting a tan wasn't always as healthy as we had thought.

Shopping centres ARE air-conditioned and quite a number of people spend hours there because of it. As I dislike shopping intensely - and as I have too many things to do rather than waste my time wandering around such places - I'm not one of them.

We do have some lovely days weather-wise...it's worth the discomfort of a few of them.

Eric · 03-02-2014, 14:16

A few pics from the Great White North. This is how we handle snow ... if you guys in Australia aren't sure what that is, just google it.

There ... hope that cools you guys off a little; or, at least make you appreciate the heat.

Margaret Pilkington · 03-02-2014, 14:29

Great pics Eric. In fact I think a couple of those could go in the current photo comp.....I know it is about emergency services and rescue vehicles, but don't these snow mover count in that category?

I would say, they do!

Gordon Booth · 04-02-2014, 13:15

Funnily enough, the weather forecasters are saying it's the severe cold in Canada and USA which is causing our wet and windy weather. Even though they're 3000 miles apart, the temperature difference is messing with the Jet Stream and creating one low pressure after another. Wet, wet ,wet (and windy) here till end Feb, so cold, cold, cold in Canada and USA?

Turtle · 04-02-2014, 14:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Great pics Eric. In fact I think a couple of those could go in the current photo comp.....I know it is about emergency services and rescue vehicles, but don't these snow mover count in that category?

I would say, they do!

I agree with you, Margaret! Great shots, Eric.

Eric · 05-02-2014, 17:12

After a couple of day's break from winter ... It's back

Turtle · 05-02-2014, 19:57

Well captured, Eric. That's pretty much what I've got here as well. I haven't known a winter like this in these parts since the early 90s. I'm starting to get cabin fever

Eric · 05-02-2014, 20:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle

Well captured, Eric. That's pretty much what I've got here as well. I haven't known a winter like this in these parts since the early 90s. I'm starting to get cabin fever

Me, I'm just getting REAL PO'd

And so is my little sled dog.