Precisely how frigid it became at my residence today is a matter of conjecture.
The mercury-based thermometer affixed to our front porch has a lower limit of -30 degrees Fahrenheit (-34.4 Celsius). Conversely, the digital thermometer integrated into our backyard meteorological station registers a minimum of -40 Fahrenheit (-40 Celsius).
For approximately a two-hour span on Wednesday, this particular instrument indicated -40.0 degrees, even as the ambient air temperature plunged to undisclosed sub-zero extremes.
However, what is unequivocally known is that beyond a certain point, the sole sensation experienced outdoors is one of acute discomfort.
My family relocated to the rural expanse of Minnesota in the year 2016, migrating from Baltimore. Our inaugural winter, occurring late that same year, provided my initial immersion into prolonged periods of sub-zero temperatures.
During that formative period, I arrived at the conviction that all temperatures below the freezing mark were, in essence, indistinguishable concerning their experiential impact.
Ten degrees below zero signifies intensely cold conditions. Twenty degrees below zero similarly denotes severe cold. Consequently, by the principle of transitive property, ten below and twenty below are rendered identical.
I now recognize this reasoning as flawed.
There exist, in reality, an infinite array of variations in cold, pain, and discomfort that an individual might endure during the prolonged, shadowed descent from 0 to -40 and beyond.
Down to approximately twenty degrees below zero, conditions are remarkably tolerable, to be candid. A modicum of alacrity is necessitated when exiting to retrieve a vehicle, and a brief window of time is available to manipulate keys at the entryway before the biting chill penetrates the skin.
A certain buffer of thermal reprieve is afforded between the initial exposure of skin to the atmosphere and the onset of the cold’s formidable grip.
As long as the temperature remains above -20 Fahrenheit (-30 Celsius), it is not an uncommon sight to observe residents of Minnesota navigating public spaces without headwear or hand coverings, or even attired in shorts. I once considered such behavior irrational, but having resided here through numerous winters, I now comprehend that for brief excursions to the mailbox or an establishment, the effort involved in a full ensemble of protective garments is disproportionate.
A general guideline: if the anticipated duration of your outdoor engagement is less than the time required to don your coat, hat, mittens, and scarf, a swift exit from the dwelling in your current attire is permissible.
However, below -20 degrees Fahrenheit, this rationale undergoes a significant alteration. Beyond this critical threshold, the thermal grace period contracts with alarming rapidity and ultimately vanishes entirely.
Around the -30 degree mark, the sensation transcends mere cold; it transforms into unadulterated agony, manifesting as a piercing, burning sensation.
Following a brief interval, the burning sensation subsides, giving way to a profound, dull ache that seems to emanate from the skeletal structure.
My personal experience has not extended to a sufficient degree of audacity or recklessness to ascertain what transpires subsequent to the ache, but I surmise it to be profoundly disagreeable and potentially irreversible.
The element of wind introduces an additional dimension to the experience of cold in this region. Commencing around -20 degrees, the wind ceases to be registered as a tactile feeling and is predominantly perceived as a more insistent form of pain.
At -30 degrees, it imparts a sensation akin to a heated iron pressed against exposed flesh. At -40 degrees, it escalates to a searing cry.
Presently, there exists a temperature disparity of approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius) between the interior atmosphere of our home and the external environment, which precipitates certain curious phenomena.
During the nocturnal hours, a cacophony of resounding creaks and sharp pops emanates from the structural elements of the dwelling as the building materials undergo thermal contraction and adjustment.
A substantial layer of ice is accumulating on the inner surfaces of our double-paned windows. Occasionally, our doors become ensnared by frost, and their subsequent opening unleashes a torrent of frigid air that effectively desiccates the interior atmosphere, transmuting it into a pervasive mist.
The majority of residences in this vicinity are equipped with highly effective insulation, mitigating concerns regarding frozen internal plumbing. Nevertheless, the previous year witnessed a section of the water main traversing our street succumb to complete freezing.
For a protracted period spanning several months, one of our neighbors was compelled to utilize a hose connected to a neighboring property to procure water. The municipal authorities advised the remainder of us on the block to maintain a continuous drip from a faucet (with corresponding credits applied to our water utility bills).
Following Wednesday’s forecast, temperatures are projected to rebound. By Thursday, we anticipate a return to single-digit negative temperatures, a welcome respite after several days spent enduring conditions below -20 degrees. It is plausible I may even don shorts in celebration.
The perspectives articulated within this discourse do not necessarily represent the official viewpoints of the ScienceAlert editorial contingent.
This narrative was originally disseminated by The Washington Post.
