For those dealing with winter storm Hercules....

[luvgoing2disney]

Just how do you do it? I live in central Alabama and we are dreading two days next week when the highs will not reach 30. And no snow of course. I just can not imagine planning and dealing with what you are facing! At -30 and worse how in the world do you keep your homes and yourselves warm? I know some schools are closed on Monday but facing going anywhere at all would just be impossible to me.

You've got to be a hardy lot to plan and endure conditions like that. I hope all of you stay safe and warm----somehow!

 

[kmb584]

Just how do you do it? I live in central Alabama and we are dreading two days next week when the highs will not reach 30. And no snow of course. I just can not imagine planning and dealing with what you are facing! At -30 and worse how in the world do you keep your homes and yourselves warm? I know some schools are closed on Monday but facing going anywhere at all would just be impossible to me.

You've got to be a hardy lot to plan and endure conditions like that. I hope all of you stay safe and warm----somehow!

The temperature here rose to 18 degrees today (9 degrees right now), a downright balmy number compared to yesterday's 3 degrees with a windchill of -26 degrees. I can handle snow, I can sometimes handle ice, but when the temperature drops that low I keep myself and DD inside. Yesterday, for instance, my car needed to be dug out (of snow) and cleaned off, the sidewalks definitely needed a run over with the snow blower, but I didn't take care of any of that until this morning when, albeit cold, the wind was nonexistent.

If I had to go out yesterday the key would have been to keep bundled. Hat, heavy jacket, gloves, boots. Thermal undergarments would have been helpful too but aren't items that I own as I can't tell you the last time it was that cold here. Start/warm the car prior to getting in and don't be outside any longer than absolutely necessary.

I have my heat set to 68 and it's nice and toasty in here and yesterday I also had our fireplace a-blazin'.

 

[kristenrice]

I won't sugar-coat it...it sucks! I work as a paramedic so I have to go outside in this weather. As bad as it is for me, it is so much worse for our patients. While we have extra warm blankets and keep the back of the ambulance at about 85 degrees, it is almost impossible to get the patient to the back of the truck without exposing them to the elements. The snow and ice make it very treacherous to try and carry people down stairs. Then we have to get them to the stretcher. Just a few minutes out of the truck and the stretcher is nearly frozen.

My hands go numb within a minute of being outside and I have yet to find gloves that will prevent this. I have some windblocker ones from UnderArmor which seem to do the best at keeping my hands semi-warm while still being thin enough to maintain some dexterity. I am certainly not looking forward to working on Monday.

 

[Shutterbug]

After more heavy snowfall, they are forecasting a flash freeze for us Sunday through Monday. With temps drastically falling from mid 30's to below zero in a few hours. By Tuesday morning we will have near record lows of -15 to minus 20. Add wind chill to that......yeah not going to be fun starting the car in the morning.

Though by Saturda(just 4 days later) temps are suppose to be back up in the 40's downright heat wave!

 

[mnrose]

Realistically, you don't go out unless you HAVE to. Even then, you are outside only for brief periods...e.g., between your car and the store.

But, if you bundle up properly, it isn't bad. For me, that means layers, and a GOOD coat, with a hood and a hat. We went out for our New Year's Eve lake walk and actual was about -15. Wind added a bit. But, it was ok. Everything on me was warm and toasty, except my face....I was wishing I'd worn my full face gear (just eyes and mouth have openings).

 

[RebeccaB]

It's flippin chilly up here in Maine for sure. Right now it's about 7 degrees. Heatwave compared to yesterdays -22 and that wasn't counting windchill. I didn't even know my thermometer registered that low.

The fun thing with brutal cold like this is things get fragile. Things you wouldn't normally consider fragile. Solid metal things can just **Snap**. Hubs drives a big truck and he despises this type of cold for this reason. Expensive things break. If you can get things to run, that is. He has to plug in the truck or it's not starting, even parked in the garage.

It's really nothing new though. It has been a few years since we've had a cold snap like this. Just add an extra layer or two.

 

[JanaDee]

I don't know what Hercules is,but it will feel 70 degrees colder tomorrow than it did today.

 

[luvgoing2disney]

I don't know what Hercules is,but it will feel 70 degrees colder tomorrow than it did today.

Hercules is the name of the massive winter storm now in the mid west and northeast sections of the US

 

[minnie mum]

I don't know what Hercules is,but it will feel 70 degrees colder tomorrow than it did today.

It took me a couple of minutes, but I figured out that the OP was referring to the name of this new winter storm. I'd like to know who the nut job is who decided to give names to winter storms.

I'm just glad for a house with decent insulation and a DH who doesn't mind doing a quick grocery run. I plan to hibernate until its time for our vacation in 3 weeks. It's going to take a major disaster to get me outside right now.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I'm not in the cold weather now. I live in the outer ring of hell actually but I'm a good Southern girl who married a cold weather boy. I can promise that hell will not be hot for this Southern girl.

On one of my trips up North during winter the windchill was something like -18. Let me tell you that your nose doesn't run when it is that cold because the snot is frozen. I wouldn't get out of the car to visit the ladies room because it was the only thing I had keeping me warm. Your windshield wipers freeze even the nonfreezing windshield wiper fluid freezes. The key holes in the car freeze and the old style car handles were the devil's playtoy.

I like to think I'm made of tuff stuff but nope because people that live in and out in the winters up North make us hot weather Southern people look downright wussy.

 

[njmom47]

It's 20 here now so not as bad as other places although we did get 9 inches of snow. But I perfected the art of being an Indoor Snowbunny. I cooked, cleaned, napped, watched tv, read. DH and ds shoveled our cars out, then ds and his friend went and shoveled for money. I will be going out tomorrow because I am reallllly getting cabin fever!

And like a pp said, if you don't have to go out, you just don't.

 

[luvgoing2disney]

It took me a couple of minutes, but I figured out that the OP was referring to the name of this new winter storm.

I just edited the thread subject line to make reference to the winter storm

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I just hunker down for the snow itself and don't go anywhere unless absolutely necessary. If there is a lot of snow predicted I try to stay on top of it. Shoveling it every few hours helps. It was too cold to finish up yesterday so I did it today. It's light and fluffy so not too bad.(Killer workout btw )

I Leave myself plenty of time to start my car.

We add a few more layers than usual, but like a PP said, unless your digging yourself out or blowing you're really not out for long.

One lesson I am learning this winter that I didn't last year(when DH was here to take care of the outside stuff) is the CHAPSTICK IS MY FRIEND!!!

It sucks.

 

[scoutie]

I live in the Chicago area and it will be extremely cold in the next few days. I deal with it by not going outside. My car is in the garage and I have an automatic car starter. I'll only need to be outside to run from the parking lot into work. Our houses are insulated and toasty warm. I'll put on my cozy socks, drink some tea, and read a good book. We have amazing snow plows that will take care of the mess in no time.

We deal with the cold much like you do with the extreme heat.

 

[pat fan]

I hate winter. I just do. I hate the cold, I hate snow and I REALLY hate ice!

I just don't want to think about Monday. WTH??!!??!! Freezing rain etc...Sunday into Monday? Monday in the 40's and a high of 9º on Tuesday? I'll believe the 40's when I see them.

I bundle up, have good warm socks, an electric blanket and I don't go out unless I have to. By February I am really getting witchy, and I apologize to my DH, but I can't help it. By then I am just so sick of being cold and the cold white landscape...sigh...

 

[Cantw8]

How do we do it? We complain a lot

 

[low-key]

I just lie in the fetal position in spare time (and moan)

 

[Shutterbug]

I just edited the thread subject line to make reference to the winter storm

Actually its storm Ion that is moving this way now. That will hit tomorrow into Monday. The weather channel is the only one that started naming winter storms not the national weather service.

 

[Shutterbug]

Its cold weather like this that makes heated car seats worth every penny and they will be set to HIGH.

 

[aaarcher86]

Realistically, you don't go out unless you HAVE to. Even then, you are outside only for brief periods...e.g., between your car and the store. But, if you bundle up properly, it isn't bad. For me, that means layers, and a GOOD coat, with a hood and a hat. We went out for our New Year's Eve lake walk and actual was about -15. Wind added a bit. But, it was ok. Everything on me was warm and toasty, except my face....I was wishing I'd worn my full face gear (just eyes and mouth have openings).

That's us. Inside and warm unless we have to go out.

You can bet I'll be cursing up a storm on that hustle to the car!