BUNDLE UP, IT IS BLOWING OUT THERE

Old Trunks wonders just how many parents, including self, ever said to their children: " It is zero and the wind is blowing 10 mph, so it is going to feel like minus 16." Mother mostly likely said, "Button up, it is cold." Oh good grief, of course I knew it was cold, I cold see the ponies breath from the kitchen window.

Where did the idea of measuring the wind and how quickly we got cold get started, anyway? It is learned two scientists, Siple and Passel, used a plastic cone in the mid forties to make the determination. In 2001-02, the index was revised, as is shown in the above chart.

Now, even if, it is blowing and the temperature is zero, my children liked to take a nap in the living room in the sun beams. How could it be cold outside when it was so warm in the nap spot? I am not certain we ever learned the answer to that lesson.

Does water freeze with a wind chill? Or does one have to see the thermometer dip for that? If I placed a pan of water outside when it was, let's say.......35 degrees, and the wind was blowing at 15 miles an hour, would it freeze?

Do you remember your parents saying, "It is too cold to snow?" How about, "It is warming up, it is going to snow." OR "Heavy cloud cover, shouldn't get too cold."

I am a meteorologic moron. The weather is this. The weathermen don't have anymore of a clue now then they did when I was a little kid walking a mile to school in minus 20 degrees. But what they do have is better equipment to WATCH the weather.

And so this morning, my sweet Thomas, announced the forecast had changed. Of course the forecast was for it to be 20 above today and anyone who lives in a snowbank knows you can't get from minus 27 to 20 above over night. In Kansas, yes--North Dakota--not likely. Not even Minnesota, the land of 10,000 fishes doesn't even claim that. Oh, that's right, it is ten thousand lakes.

Do the weathermen in this part of the country give long term forecasts of thawing temperatures just to get us to be in life a few weeks longer? What is the deal with that? I think all weathermen should be studs. I would look at them while they are moving their bodies around a pretend forecast map.

Meanwhile, long silk underwear and thick socks are in order to keep a dinner date this evening. Never mind the polished approaches to each intersection. Never mind that whether it be the sure footed SUV or the truck with 4 wheel drive , there are no guarantees you will stop when you should.

BUNDLE UP

TAKE YOUR PHONE

TURN THE HEATER ON YOUR SEAT ON

SIT IN THE SUN

.....and say what Rachel used to say, "BRRRRR....cold."

Warm thoughts,

e