Updraft: January 13, 2009 Archive

Exposed flesh

Posted at 7:14 AM on January 13, 2009 by Craig Edwards

There is an old belief that ninety percent of your body heat, on a cold day, is lost through your head. I recently heard an expert say that's because few people wear a hat and that's the part of the body that has the most exposure to the brutal cold.

Layers are not only recommended in cold weather, but can be fashionable as well. What ever happened to turtleneck sweaters for men?

Bundle up we have another seventy-two hours of cold to endure in the upper midwest.

On Sunday evening, my daughter's boyfriend got caught unprepared for the cold in Dayton, Oh when his truck hit a patch of ice, slid into a curb and blew out a tire. He was out in the elements without a hat or gloves. Fortunately it was not as frigid as it is Minnesota this morning.

Reminder, always travel with outdoor gear at the ready, even if you are only going back and forth to work, school or the store.

CE
naturesmessenger

Urban heat island

Posted at 8:03 AM on January 13, 2009 by Craig Edwards (2 Comments)

Here is the enhanced infrared image from the GOES satellite this morning. This temperature sensitvie image typically shows the coldest cloud tops. This morning the blue over Minnesota captures the arctic temperatures. Notice the patch of white over the Twin Cities that is somewhat warmer than the surrounding air.

For example Chaska was recording 22 below zero, while the International Airport was measuring 17 below zero at 7am.

Comment on this post

Arctic blast

Posted at 4:41 PM on January 13, 2009 by Paul Huttner (3 Comments)

I-90 near Jackson Minnesota looks like it could be in an episode of
The Twilight Zone today.

Well we can't say we didn't see it coming.

The coldest morning in nearly 5 years greeted those of us in the metro this morning. Twin Cities International Airport dipped to -18. Here at the Huttner Weather Lab in the west metro it was a tree cracking 22 below.

The last time we were colder was on January 30th, 2004 when thermometers plunged to 24 below. We may make a run at that wonderful number Thursday morning.

International Falls set a new record with -42 this morning. Not to be outdone, Embarrass came in at 44 below.

Duluth NWS cold numbers

The next clipper is brining snow to southwest Minnesota tonight. We'll be on the edge of this one again in the metro. Then the door is open for the coldest air mass of the winter to pour south off the ice cap. This air mass has a history of temperatures of -62 in Oimyakon, Siberia, and reading near -60 in Alaska. Higher sun angles modify arctic air masses slightly as the move southward so we usually don't get the full brunt of the arctic blast.

The good news is we're in a progressive pattern, so the arctic air will slide east as we head toward the weekend.

Until then, throw another log on the fire.

PH

Comment on this post