North by Northwest

I had heard stories about these flags, and now I can confirm that they do exist:

Conditions: +3 F with a -9 wind chill.

According to a friend of mine, the fire hydrant base is colored according to the fire department and the top indicates the water pressure. I’m sure this varies from location to location though.

• Class AA (>1500 gpm) light blue
• Class A (1000-1499 gpm) green
• Class B (500-999 gpm) orange
• Class C (0-499 gpm) red (a.k.a. find a better hydrant)
  colors/pressures

No, today isn’t the Twin Cities Bike/Walk to Work Day. That was May 18th when the weather was, I assume, pleasant. Although I wouldn’t describe the current conditions as pleasant, I would at least say that you won’t die if you have lots of layers of clothing on.

Also, according to the lady who cut my hair tonight, people here drive just as recklessly in poor wintery conditions as they do in Birmingham. A news report said there were 190 wrecks in the metro area on Monday when it was snowing. I’m not sure if they were rushing to get bread and milk or not.

Here are some pictures from our commute this morning. It was about -1 F and was supposed to hit 2 F for the high today! It will be interesting to see what it’s like tomorrow morning at -9 F. I think the answer is: add more fabric over whatever body part feels cold and then you’ll feel fine – i.e. add a scarf, etc. At least it is supposed to get up into the double digits tomorrow (11F). I’m glad I won’t be out in the -19 F weather tonight!

Dave, leader of the pack.

The reality is that it’s actually warmer to walk since the vehicle is sitting outside freezing all night and doesn’t warm up any during the five minute drive. At least we can generate some body heat as we walk plus we get some exercise to boot! The day I drove and the others walked, they arrived at the same time I did.

You can’t see it in the picture, but there is ice forming on the outside of Sunil’s scarf over his mouth due to the moisture in his breath condensing and freezing on the scarf.

I’m 96% sure there is no retaining wall or hill of any sort behind this wall of snow the length of the parking lot.

It may be cold here in Minneapolis, but at least it isn’t -34 F !!!

Mon Jan 21, 12:26 PM ET

PORTLAND, Maine – Temperatures dropped to breathtaking levels, well below zero, in extreme northern sections of Maine early Monday.

Thermometers registered 34 degrees Fahrenheit below zero at Van Buren, 27 below at Presque Isle and 26 below at Allagash, the National Weather Service reported.

In the northern Rockies, Butte, Mont., registered 32 below at 8 a.m. — with a wind chill of minus 47, the weather service said.

Another of the nation’s usual cold spots, International Falls, Minn., managed only 16.1 below zero, but even after the sun came up its temperature of 14 below combined with 6 mph wind for a wind chill of 29 below zero, according to a weather service Web site.

As the cold air blew across Lake Ontario, it picked up enough moisture to produce 3 feet of lake-effect snow Sunday in New York’s Oswego County. The roof of a public works garage holding snow removal equipment collapsed early Monday in Fulton, N.Y., under the weight of 37 inches of snow, and the town declared a state of emergency. The region at the east of Lake Ontario often gets heavy lake-effect snow.

“We’re digging out,” said state police Sgt. Edwin Croucher in Fulton. He reported multiple accidents caused by the storm but no serious injuries.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080121/ap_on_re_us/bitter_cold_4

Even with the cold and snowy weather and working on a holiday, the day was wonderful.

Is this crazy guy from Alabama about to walk to work in the snow? It feels good for the first minute!

… maybe tomorrow …

The parking lot was still pretty clear in the morning, but you can see the piles of snow between the cars.

I could see the drizzling snow out the window of our classroom the entire day.

Sunil; Dave (not teaching!); crow in the snow.

Nice heated stairway and walkway from the parking deck to the building.

A little more snow by the end of the day.

After writing my first Pascal program and dinner at the restaurant at hotel next door, Sunil and I ventured out to the Target to pick up a few things. I learned that the best way to drive in the snow is to not go very far (or very fast). That must be why they have so many Targets around here!

Kip’s; snow caught in the flash (looks like bright stars); the moon through the haze of the snow and clouds.

BTW, I had the “Bangers and Mash” at Kip’s, which was delicious.

This mound of snow is probably 8 feet high. There were several of these huge piles throughout the parking lot.

This one must be at least 12 feet tall!