Excessive Heat Warning (Ozark, Northwoods, Rea: electric bill, swimming, stations)

[GraniteStater]

Several inches of rain fell in Eastern Kansas last night. Now, the humidity is around 60% this afternoon with a temperature above 90F. The heat index is near 105F because of the humidity!! No relief from the heat is in sight even with the rain last night.

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by bentaxlecrew

Let me ask you all this. Those who have moved to Mo from Cali. Is the weather realy that much harder to get used to? I love summer rain and lightning storms. It awakens me. Almost like playing kick the can for those ederly people in that old "Twilight Zone movie" Humidty isnt a bad word to me. But then again I dont think Ive felt it at 100%.
Then thiers the winters. Ive been in snow. Is it realy that much colder. Give me the scoop.

Scoop is, my opinion, you get used to whatever you have to deal with.
I moved here from Sacramento, having also lived at Lake Tahoe, so I'm thinkin I'm cool with cold.

The hardest thing to get used to is the unpredictability! You just never know what it's going to be like! The drastic temperature changes, from hot to cold or vice versa...but that's part of the adventure!

After 3 years here, I moved to upstate New York for a year. I moved in July. From mid December THRU February, it averaged -25 every morning. (That is MINUS 25 degrees...). January was -40 ACTUAL temperature EVERY morning...then factor in the wind chill. I remember one day the high temp was -18...we were working in -60 wind chill. They don't even bury people in the winter 'cause the ground freezes so deep.

The following winter, back in Missouri, I was in shirt sleeves all winter! People would be griping about the cold...it's 20 degrees or something...I'm like HEY! you ain't seen cold!

But...by a couple of winters later, +20 seems cold again.

You acclimate. No biggie.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

Scoop is, my opinion, you get used to whatever you have to deal with.
I moved here from Sacramento, having also lived at Lake Tahoe, so I'm thinkin I'm cool with cold.

The hardest thing to get used to is the unpredictability! You just never know what it's going to be like! The drastic temperature changes, from hot to cold or vice versa...but that's part of the adventure!

After 3 years here, I moved to upstate New York for a year. I moved in July. From mid December THRU February, it averaged -25 every morning. (That is MINUS 25 degrees...). January was -40 ACTUAL temperature EVERY morning...then factor in the wind chill. I remember one day the high temp was -18...we were working in -60 wind chill. They don't even bury people in the winter 'cause the ground freezes so deep.


The following winter, back in Missouri, I was in shirt sleeves all winter! People would be griping about the cold...it's 20 degrees or something...I'm like HEY! you ain't seen cold!

But...by a couple of winters later, +20 seems cold again.

You acclimate. No biggie.

The only place in New York that could be that cold in the winter is the Adirondack Mountain region. I prefer the winter and cold temperatures compared with the extremely long hot and humid summer weather in the lower Midwest and upper South. In terms of winter: "Their is no such thing as being too cold it is not having the proper clothing and gear."

[mrsgenealogy]

Originally Posted by Northwoods Voyager

MrsG, ifn I may. Thank you for so eloquently expressing what I, myself, wanted to reply but didn't have the nerve. I had attempted to stay away from this forum because of this, but just couldn't do so. I do not like snippy remarks. They are underhanded and so many times can be taken the wrong way. The weather topic was a good one, and I hated to see it go downhill for a minute or two.

...

Thanks again for explaining to both these fine persons how it is here. I am new myself and am constantly amazed and thrilled about the ability to tease. charm, inform, and generally have a darn good time on this forum. Thanks again and good luck to ya.

I totally agree with you, NWVoyager! And btw, you do it so well! I think we've got an especially wonderful group here and it is worth protecting! Thank you for your kind words. It is always risky to speak up so I always breath a big sigh of relief when I get it right and am especially grateful to have it be appreciated, too!

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

I think somebody missed the point of your comments, Mrs. G.
I was away wondering if I can say whatever I want as long as I put a at the end...hmmm...
Anyway, let's move on, shall we?

Ha! You GOT it, L J! YESSS! I'll vote for moving on! And you nailed it on the head with that comment! Right on!

Originally Posted by Plains10

Several inches of rain fell in Eastern Kansas last night. Now, the humidity is around 60% this afternoon with a temperature above 90F. The heat index is near 105F because of the humidity!! No relief from the heat is in sight even with the rain last night.

Seriously? Rain? Lots of it? I'm sorry I missed that! Not sorry I'm missing the humidity, though! Yikes! Thanks for the info, Plains!

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

Scoop is, my opinion, you get used to whatever you have to deal with.
I moved here from Sacramento, having also lived at Lake Tahoe, so I'm thinkin I'm cool with cold.

The hardest thing to get used to is the unpredictability! You just never know what it's going to be like! The drastic temperature changes, from hot to cold or vice versa...but that's part of the adventure!

After 3 years here, I moved to upstate New York for a year. I moved in July. From mid December THRU February, it averaged -25 every morning. (That is MINUS 25 degrees...). January was -40 ACTUAL temperature EVERY morning...then factor in the wind chill. I remember one day the high temp was -18...we were working in -60 wind chill. They don't even bury people in the winter 'cause the ground freezes so deep.

The following winter, back in Missouri, I was in shirt sleeves all winter! People would be griping about the cold...it's 20 degrees or something...I'm like HEY! you ain't seen cold!

But...by a couple of winters later, +20 seems cold again.

You acclimate. No biggie.

Your comments, L J are a perfect example for why it's hard to give a definitive answer to questions like bentaxelcrew has asked. It's such a personal experience and preference thing!

I was all prepared with hat and coat and gloves for our first winter and I did use my coat and gloves when I went out but it wasn't long before I was taking them off and wishing I could take off more! I only have one winter under my belt here to speak of but I loved the "weather" and know that it wasn't that cold, as cold goes. Nothing like you said in NY. I really did hate the ice, though, and living out in the country, it was a problem for us.

My daughter uses studded tires in winter up in WA but I don't know if they're legal here. The only problem with those, though, is that MOST of the time, you don't need them and you have to listen to the noise they make on the road. Most of the bad weather was very temporary and we all know that our January ice storm in Springfield and surrounding areas was one for the record books so I don't anticipate seeing it again any time soon. Certainly not on a regular basis.

One thing I have to say, though. I about went crazy with how warm the businesses were kept all winter long. It was always tooooo hot and it was hard to know how to dress. I am definitely going to be a "layers girl" from now on!

Two other notes to add here:

Great pic, NWV! Looks familiar, too!



BACrew, I agree! Weather is a great topic! I'm sure someone will start one whenever there's a new weather event! Btw, I also moved here from soCal, just in case you wondered while reading my post.

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by Plains10

The only place in New York that could be that cold in the winter is the Adirondack Mountain region. I prefer the winter and cold temperatures compared with the extremely long hot and humid summer weather in the lower Midwest and upper South. In terms of winter: "Their is no such thing as being too cold it is not having the proper clothing and gear."

Actually, it was in Massena that I lived...on an island on the St. Lawrence Seaway. The very tippy top of New York...OMG the pizza was unbelievable...but that's another thread.

It would actually get "too cold to snow".
I developed a new test for "really cold"...if you walk outside and try to breathe in and your lungs say..."NOPE".
You see those pics on the weather news where folks are walking with their hats on & scarves wrapped around and they have their faces buried in their scarves? That's so they can BREATHE.
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by mrsgenealogy

I really did hate the ice, though, and living out in the country, it was a problem for us.

My daughter uses studded tires in winter up in WA but I don't know if they're legal here. The only problem with those, though, is that MOST of the time, you don't need them and you have to listen to the noise they make on the road. Most of the bad weather was very temporary and we all know that our January ice storm in Springfield and surrounding areas was one for the record books so I don't anticipate seeing it again any time soon. Certainly not on a regular basis.

One thing I have to say, though. I about went crazy with how warm the businesses were kept all winter long. It was always tooooo hot and it was hard to know how to dress. I am definitely going to be a "layers girl" from now on!

The January Ice Storm. (Drum Roll.)
Was a 100 year event.
Springfield was declared a disaster zone.
Damage was observed by some of the tree-guy-cleanup-people to have been "worse than Katrina" ... "the worst I've seen in 20 years nationwide" ...
The parents of Lake Junkie live in NW Springfield and the neighborhood was devastated. We still mourn the trees.

Moving on.

Layers is the way to dress. I wear tank tops all winter.
It goes: Tank Top. Shirt. Blazer. (Not wool, too warm my dear.) Jacket.
And then on top for the really windy cold days, a leather jacket (unlined).
Lose the down jackets. The Tahoe gear. It's not that cold here.

Next.
Studded tires might be illegal here. Chains definitely are. Went to O'Reilly's to buy chains...they looked at me crosseyed.
Ya don't need either.
They just tear up the roads.
Front wheel drive will get you around all year. Get good tires, don't need the softer all season "snow" tread.
I kicked asphalt butt with my FWD mini-van for my first 2 years. OK, once the drifts got too high and I high-centered.
Then I switched to a RWD Volvo.
No problemo.
Now...Jeep Grand Cherokee.
I actually use the 4WD from time to time when I show acreage...
...and some of our steep gravel boat dock roads.
Which reminds me...

[Northwoods Voyager]

and the rest of the story is?????? LJ Come on now, fess up. WE be compatriots in this bizness. You tell yours and maybe I'll tell mine

[Northwoods Voyager]

Here is one more and I promise not to post any additional pics tht help us bring a little coolness into our lives. Ahhh, can't ya just picture yourself sitting under one of these lovely trees here in my mini-forest? Just bring a blanket and some Hot Chocolate and we be fine...Remember?????

[mrschilicook]

My weather experiences in MO were outside St. Louis many years ago so the memory banks tend to only remember the extremes. However, I can tell you that THIS heat still beats Las Vegas NV. I love LV, but 115 during the day and 95 (if your lucky) at night in from June thru August is the pits. Yes, it IS a dry heat, but stick your head in a low temp. oven for 20 minutes and you'll get the idea

Humidity at least helps clean out your pores
and doesn't dry you out like a prune. And you can actually go outside without baking like a little cake.

So I'll take the good ol' MO weather anyday.

[Northwoods Voyager]

I think I am going to climb into one of those pictures that I posted. The AC in our MBR just decided it had had enough . The rest of our home in on Central AC, but this addition could not be linked to the original, sooooo, wall unit. So..into another of the BR until we can get to Home Depot, Lowes or somewhere.

It is 85 now in the bedroom. Just way too hot to sleep for me.

The birds had a good time today. Kept them wet. Does anyone find the Hummingbirds amusing about now? Some have come from the North already, prior to the migration in about 6 weeks or so. They are way too much fun. How territorial they are. Have 6 feeders out and each one has a 'guard'. There are only about a dozen or so right now, living in the woods does not help.

Anyway, all stay cool tonight..