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posted by martyb on Tuesday January 29 2019, @04:10PM   Printer-friendly
from the Brrrrrrr dept.

'Minimize talking' outside: Polar vortex bears down on North as Deep South braces for snow

A major snowstorm that lashed parts of the Midwest on Monday will give way to record-smashing cold this week as a powerful polar vortex drives a deep freeze across the eastern half of the nation, forecasters said.

A snowstorm will wreak havoc across the Deep South on Tuesday.

The bitter cold will bring below-zero temperatures to a quarter of the continental USA. The National Weather Service in Des Moines, Iowa, warned that "this is the coldest air many of us will have ever experienced." The service said that if people go outside, they should "avoid taking deep breaths, and minimize talking."

Schools could be closed in Iowa as buses may struggle to start, the weather service said.

Wednesday could be the coldest day ever recorded in Chicago – a forecast high of 14 below zero, the weather service said. There's a chance the Windy City will break its all-time coldest temperature record of 27 degrees below zero. Chicago's famous Brookfield Zoo will be closed Wednesday and Thursday for only the fourth time in its 85-year history.

"Some locations in the Midwest will be below zero continuously for 48-72 hours," according to AccuWeather meteorologist Mike Doll.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/01/28/cold-weather-polar-vortex-drive-record-smashing-cold-across-nation/2698747002/

Chicago Faces Colder-Than-Arctic Blast Nearing All-Time Record

It could be warmer above the Arctic Circle than in Chicago by Wednesday, with temperatures forecast to fall in the Windy City to 20-to-25 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (minus-29 to minus-32 Celsius).

New York and Washington will be warmer, with a bit of snow.

Chicago is expected to approach an all-time record low of minus 27, set in 1985, according to Brian Hurley, a senior branch forecaster at the U.S. Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland. Wind chill, meanwhile, could feel closer to minus-40 to minus-45.

"That is pretty amazing," Hurley said by telephone on Monday. But there's hope ahead for the weekend, when the cold is forecast to retreat across the U.S., with temperatures returning to seasonal levels or warmer, Hurley added.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-28/chicago-faces-colder-than-arctic-blast-nearing-all-time-record


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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday January 30 2019, @03:36PM (5 children)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday January 30 2019, @03:36PM (#794081) Journal

    I'm a believer in wool. My long underwear is wool, my sweaters are wool, my winter socks are wool. Little known fact about wool: you can get wool dripping wet, and it still retains about 30% of the heat that it retains when dry. Cotton won't do that, nor silk, nor any of the more common synthetics. Hemp is becoming a thing, but I don't think hemp will retain any heat when it's soaked.

    A lot of people think they are allergic to wool - but if they invest in good wool, they may be surprised. Merino wool from Australia seems to have become a thing, on Ebay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-Merino-Wool-Blend-Long-Sleeve-Thermal-Top-Pants-Long-Johns-Underwear-S-2XL/252922446928?hash=item3ae35a4450:m:mgNZ15K6kT9OGR8myPbAOKg:rk:8:pf:0 [ebay.com]

    Starting Score:    1  point
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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by deimtee on Wednesday January 30 2019, @06:01PM (4 children)

    by deimtee (3272) on Wednesday January 30 2019, @06:01PM (#794158) Journal

    Much as I hate bagging an aussie company, I'd be a bit careful of that ad on ebay. It says merino blend, but never gives the percentages.
    It may be excellent quality, but it's also less than a third of the price of real 100% merino gear.

    See https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-Brandella-Thermals-100-Pure-Merino-Wool-2-Piece-Long-Set-Black/292207630319?hash=item4408ee97ef [ebay.com]

    --
    If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
    • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday January 31 2019, @02:16AM (3 children)

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday January 31 2019, @02:16AM (#794342) Journal

      I should probably apologize - I just did a very quick search on Ebay for Merino wool, and grabbed the first link. My post probably looks like an endorsement of that particular company. In the middle of promoting good quality wools, I should have ensured that my link led to good quality wools.

      Thank you!

      • (Score: 2) by deimtee on Thursday January 31 2019, @06:45AM (2 children)

        by deimtee (3272) on Thursday January 31 2019, @06:45AM (#794431) Journal

        No problem. A lot of the blend stuff is pretty good too, and a lot cheaper. The real stuff is excellent but pricey.
        Given their feedback and an actual Australian presence*, they are probably not dodgy, it just irritates me when companies proudly proclaim something like "Merino!!" but then in the fine print after you buy it, you find it is only a minor percentage.

        *Our consumer protection laws are much tougher than the USA's and the sheepfarmers here protect the merino name. They would get shut down if there was no merino at all in it.

        --
        If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
        • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday January 31 2019, @02:26PM (1 child)

          by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday January 31 2019, @02:26PM (#794527) Journal

          Just for info, the ones I bought about three or maybe four years ago are 60% Merino wool, and a blend of cotton and stretchy synthetic - nylon I think. The tags are gone now, so I can't double check the contents. What surprised me was "Made in China". When I checked on that, I found that the Australian wool is commonly shipped to China, where it is processed, then sewn into clothing, then shipped back to Oz, where it is then sold onward. I suppose that if we found some company selling wool that was processed entirely in Australia, then sewn up, again in Australia, the garments might be more expensive than your link above. Labor is often more than half the price of whatever you're buying. Access to cheap labor is a huge advantage.

          • (Score: 3, Informative) by deimtee on Thursday January 31 2019, @04:04PM

            by deimtee (3272) on Thursday January 31 2019, @04:04PM (#794560) Journal

            I got interested, so I did a bit of a search. There is apparently only one wool mill still operating in AU, and they specialise in high quality, high price. https://waverleymills.com/ [waverleymills.com]
            Check out the shop! $130 for a scarf, $500+ for a blanket.

            --
            If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.