This winter wx

Richard

Richard

Final Approach
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Ack...city life
Has it been cold in your neck of the woods? Given that we are on the coast with a huge temp moderator (AKA Pacific Ocean) right next door it is unusual for us to have frost or ice on the ground. Every morning for the past 10 days there is about 1/4" frost on the cars and grass lawn. The fish pond has up to 1/4" ice. Actual temp at 5,000 was -08F. This is on the coast, this wx is more usual for the interior valleys east of the coast ranges. But it has been colder than usual for them too.

Daytime highs are hovering approx 58-62F. CAVU day & night with calm winds.

Anyway, I was thinking if it's this cold for us is it likely other regions are feeling the same thing.
 
Here in the Philly area we have been all over the place this winter. Lots of grey rainy crud, a few very cold days but a lot of days in the 50s which just ain't normal around here. Today we had some frost but it got up to 49. We should be freezing our butts off about now. Weird winter.
 
Richard said:
Has it been cold in your neck of the woods? Given that we are on the coast with a huge temp moderator (AKA Pacific Ocean) right next door it is unusual for us to have frost or ice on the ground. Every morning for the past 10 days there is about 1/4" frost on the cars and grass lawn. The fish pond has up to 1/4" ice. Actual temp at 5,000 was -08F. This is on the coast, this wx is more usual for the interior valleys east of the coast ranges. But it has been colder than usual for them too.

Daytime highs are hovering approx 58-62F. CAVU day & night with calm winds.

Anyway, I was thinking if it's this cold for us is it likely other regions are feeling the same thing.
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Nope, our temps all through January so far have been several degrees above normal. I don't think we've had a below "normal" temp for over a month. A friend who lives on a grass strip brought her Apache to the home hangar (normally kept at KFCM with paved runways) to do a little work a week ago and hasn't been able to fly out because the ground is "soggy". Normally the frost would be 4-5 ft deep under the plowed runway.
 
its been in the 80s here a few days. mostly in the high 60s and low 70s though.
 
Michael said:
its been in the 80s here a few days. mostly in the high 60s and low 70s though.
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You're kidding. Right? Of course you are! I'm going to go cry now....

Today: Sunny. Areas of low clouds and fog along the inlet. Highs 5 below to 5 above. Light winds.

Tonight: Clear. Areas of low clouds and fog developing along the inlet. Lows 10 to 20 below. Light winds.

Right now it's 4F. (-16C)
This is colder than usual.

--Kath
 
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AdamZ said:
Here in the Philly area we have been all over the place this winter. Lots of grey rainy crud, a few very cold days but a lot of days in the 50s which just ain't normal around here. Today we had some frost but it got up to 49. We should be freezing our butts off about now. Weird winter.
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You reminded me of something. Usually I look to the jet stream as in indicator of wx. This year the jet has been fairly stable but our wx has been all over the place too.
 
Seattle:
Cold rain, some gray light, more cold rain without light. Repeat.
 
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It's been abnormally, horribly warm here and as a result, more icy and cloudy and disgusting. It was nearly 40 last night. It's better now, about 16. Generally, this time of year, the daytime high is 10 or 11 above.

This is the warmest, wettest, cloudiest winter I can remember since moving to North Dakota. Funny that I used to think the saving grace of a winter here was that it got too darn cold for ice to be slippery at all. And I flew a lot more last winter when it was dry and cold and clear and the only thing that was like glass was the air. Hardly had to cancel for snow--just when it was windy enough to send ice chunks sailing across Alpha Ramp.

whoever thought I'd be wishing for that sort of weather now. LOL!!

sigh. I think I am going to apply for a job at the south pole with the other penguins.

terry
 
70 and clear here today. Supposed to be in the 70's all week.

I took the plane up today... $2.85 for avgas at T89.
 
Here in Boston, it's been fluctuating between the high teens to the upper 50s. Mostly it's been a mild winter. I'm not complaining.
 
There's been a few rounds of moderately cool WX here on the Front Range of CO. For the most part I've been wearing summer clothes and riding the motorcycle occasionally. (I would ride it more but security issues are a big hassle in this area)

I'm going to be moving this year and I'm seriously considering Alaska.


terzap said:
I think I am going to apply for a job at the south pole with the other penguins.
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I just might be in the seat next to you...assuming I wait for you.
 
A few cold fronts have blown through. Actually got frost one morning. But yesterday was a shorts-and-T-shirt kinda day. Today's cold, though. High of 62.

All in all, a normal winter, compared to last year's particularly cold one.
 
kath said:
You're kidding. Right? Of course you are! I'm going to go cry now....

--Kath
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Hey KATH !!! WassUP????

It has been disgustingly warm here in NC but still better than being in LA. 50's - 70's all winter here so far. I drained all the water out of the the lake house for no reason. You need a winter to have to winterize :)

I did have to use my boots on the Cary Van a few times, but that was at altitude.

How things in icyland?
 
In early December, we had a lot of snow (early for us).

Since then, it's been warm. Some days in the 60's.

Last night we had thunderstorms, followed by nasty black ice in the morning.

The PHL/NJ/NYC weather has truly been wacky this year.
 
MSmith said:
Last night we had thunderstorms, followed by nasty black ice in the morning.
.
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Now that was really strange. We had the same system being just across the river from you. I can't remember in 42 years ever having a TS in the Winter in the Philly area. Very odd.
 
AdamZ said:
Now that was really strange. We had the same system being just across the river from you. I can't remember in 42 years ever having a TS in the Winter in the Philly area. Very odd.
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The last winter thunderstorm that I remember was January 1991 - the night that Gulf War I started. I lost CNN on cable because the T-storm got between the satellite and the cable head-end dish.
 
fgcason said:
I already know about that site. :yes:
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Ahhh, RPSC... Brings back memories.
(I didn't work for Raytheon, technically... I was a so-called "beaker" or scientist, and they are independent of Raytheon.)
If you are seriously interested in working in Antarctica, feel free to contact me. BTDT. :yes:

--Kath
Winter-over, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, 2002
 
kath said:
Winter-over, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, 2002
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So Alaska should seem like the tropics to you. :)

I know a couple people who have done this, perhaps because it's nearby (the headquarters, not Antarctica).
 
So.... a related question?

What are your personal minimums for temperature?

My old CFI back in Boston would not fly below 10 degrees (above). He said this was because you could die of hypothermia after surviving a perfectly survivable crash.
My new FBO here in Anchorage does not allow touch & goes below 5 (above), and prohibits flying altogether below 15 below.
It has been -30 in Fairbanks this week. I was thinking of flying there last weekend, but had a "bout of sanity".
At what temp do FBO's in Arizona or Florida draw the line?

Is this like asking "how much snow constitutes a snow day?" Or are there any quantifiable danger points with airplanes and temperature?

--Kath
 
Kath, that is a good question because it causes us (me, at least) think about it. I confess, I don't recall ever thinking about min temps. I really don't know how to answer.

I suppose any answer would have to consider cold starts after landing at your destination and other mechanical considerations. Selecting your destination would be predicated on available facilities.

AFA surviving you take the gear for the worst probable conditions. That applies in any wx.
 
kath said:
What are your personal minimums for temperature?
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Here in COS they started having fits if you wanted to fly at +10F. 0F made it near impossible to get your hands on the keys because "it's too cold for the plane to fly at that temp." Of course +10F SFC was ok even if you're flying at altitude at -20F. :dunno: Preheat is mandatory at <25F unless the plane is still warm (<30 minutes on the ground)
I haven't flown in serious cold so I'm not sure about specific aircraft systems issues. The concept of those small diameter fuel lines and extreme cold kind of bothers me. I do know that some cold soaked aluminum engines don't like to start until they're warm.

As far as survival, carry lots of cold weather gear including a camp stove. I believe in self rescue (walk out) capability though that assumes you're not injured. I get laughed at while walking through the FBO but I always carry my day pack with enough stuff to easily overnight for 3-4 nights at -30F. I've been out (several hours, not overnight) at -50F but that starts getting very rough with what I have. Snow caves are fair game if possible. I would definitely do my homework before flying the wilderness in the winter. An EPIRB (with GPS) sounds like a good start. Some individual you trust (not FSS) knowing when and where you're going to sound the alarm if you don't check in. There is no way would I go into the water though.

Hmmm....Your extreme cold weather gear from the pole could be useful up there in the winter though it's probably too good. I'd have to find the link again but a couple years ago I found the company that supplies their extreme cold weather clothing. IIRC $1200-1500 will get you the same stuff. I think the stuff that was on sale came to $900. Spendy but it would keep you warm.
 
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kath said:
Ahhh, RPSC... Brings back memories.
(I didn't work for Raytheon, technically... I was a so-called "beaker" or scientist, and they are independent of Raytheon.)
If you are seriously interested in working in Antarctica, feel free to contact me. BTDT. :yes:

--Kath
Winter-over, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, 2002
Click to expand...

I was looking at that site you listed last month, too, and seriously perusing the jobs list a few weeks ago, because I am seriously thinking of relocating (an not merely because of weather). Soon. I did have Alaska in mind. Looking there, too.

terry
 
kath said:
My new FBO here in Anchorage does not allow touch & goes below 5 (above), and prohibits flying altogether below 15 below.
Click to expand...

Club rules here: Preheat below 20 F, no touch and goes below 0 F, no flying below -20 F. Pretty similar to yours, but 5 degrees lower.
 
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