Random climate discussion

[Max Rockatansky]

I've always wondered if there is a genetic factor to cold tolerance.  I come from a similar ethnic background to you and my tolerance for cold tends to be very high.  My wife (who is Hispanic) struggles at temperatures I find warm such as the mid-50s.  The reverse is that I overhear easily whereas she does not.

[kphoger]

Apply Vaseline to the parts of your skin getting licked by wind.  I was taught to this while playing sports in high school in Michigan.  Vaseline is very affective blocking the wind from hitting exposed skin.  I still use it on my wrists and neck during winter runs.

Or just... you know... do away with the bitter cold.  Excessive heat doesn't cause me physical pain the way excessive cold does, and there's no need to 'have the right gear'.

[JayhawkCO]

Apply Vaseline to the parts of your skin getting licked by wind.  I was taught to this while playing sports in high school in Michigan.  Vaseline is very affective blocking the wind from hitting exposed skin.  I still use it on my wrists and neck during winter runs.

Or just... you know... do away with the bitter cold.  Excessive heat doesn't cause me physical pain the way excessive cold does, and there's no need to 'have the right gear'.

But I'm pointing out the differences between more extreme cold vs. more extreme heat. There isn't a reasonable corollary to dealing with heat - you can't wear an air conditioning unit for instance. Even if it were socially acceptable to walk around naked in public, that still wouldn't alleviate enough of the heat discomfort (and it would introduce new issues, i.e. sunburning your junk).

[Max Rockatansky]

Apply Vaseline to the parts of your skin getting licked by wind.  I was taught to this while playing sports in high school in Michigan.  Vaseline is very affective blocking the wind from hitting exposed skin.  I still use it on my wrists and neck during winter runs.

Or just... you know... do away with the bitter cold.  Excessive heat doesn't cause me physical pain the way excessive cold does, and there's no need to 'have the right gear'.

Trouble is for me that most of my winter runs are done in weather ranging from 30-37F early in the morning.  I find I'm much more motivated first thing in the morning versus say going for a run after work.  I'm able to go far longer with less fluid intake the colder the weather is. 

The heat coupled with humidity did put me in the emergency room once after a 13.5 mile run through downtown Orlando during the summer of 2015.  The temperature was about 86F and 90% humidity at 5 AM in the morning.  I drank about 70oz of fluid during that run but still ended up with heat exhaustion/heat stroke after. 

[JayhawkCO]

Apply Vaseline to the parts of your skin getting licked by wind.  I was taught to this while playing sports in high school in Michigan.  Vaseline is very affective blocking the wind from hitting exposed skin.  I still use it on my wrists and neck during winter runs.

Or just... you know... do away with the bitter cold.  Excessive heat doesn't cause me physical pain the way excessive cold does, and there's no need to 'have the right gear'.

Trouble is for me that most of my winter runs are done in weather ranging from 30-37F early in the morning.  I find I'm much more motivated first thing in the morning versus say going for a run after work.  I'm able to go far longer with less fluid intake the colder the weather is. 

The heat coupled with humidity did put me in the emergency room once after a 13.5 mile run through downtown Orlando during the summer of 2015.  The temperature was about 86F and 90% humidity at 5 AM in the morning.  I drank about 70oz of fluid during that run but still ended up with heat exhaustion/heat stroke after.

I try not to run when the temp is over 70. 40 feels great.

[J N Winkler]

Personally, I find extreme cold easier to deal with than extreme heat.  My experience with older cars has been that the heater (with the original core, even) is much more likely than the A/C to still be working after 15 years.  R-134a (used from the early 1990's until just a few years ago) is considered more likely to leak than its predecessor, R-12, because it is a more compact molecule.

I haven't worn a balaclava in years, though I do acknowledge that it and snow goggles would be necessary in winter in a place like Alaska.  On windy and extremely cold days, I do the following:

*  Stay in the lee of the wind whenever possible

*  Wear a goose-down parka with hood up (it is easier for extremities to stay warm when the core is warm)

*  Wind a thick woolen scarf around my throat in such a way that everything below my eyes is covered

*  Wear a llama-herder's hat on top of scarf and underneath hood

*  Put on thermal underwear

In terms of clothing, summer is much more of a hassle than winter.  There are probably just a handful of days each winter when I have to change clothes to go out, whereas I have to do this for at least five months in the summer.

Or just... you know... do away with the bitter cold.  Excessive heat doesn't cause me physical pain the way excessive cold does, and there's no need to 'have the right gear'.

I don't know about need to have the right gear, but in summer having a completely separate set of sacrificial clothes (including underwear) for going out helps avoid:

*  Dye shift in fabrics due to sweat soaking (yes, this really does happen)

*  Salt deposits on car upholstery

*  Discomfort from sitting in wet underwear beneath dry clothes when coming back into A/C

The outdoor clothes last longer if they are light-colored, not because the fabric is better, but because dye shift is less noticeable.

This summer I've actually been wearing a charcoal-gray long-sleeved T-shirt for evening walks, and the dye has already shifted along the back.  I wouldn't have chosen the color, but the price was right--i.e., free from the Red Cross as a blood donation incentive.

This said, I think it may be possible to limit dye shift by pre-washing in cold to lukewarm water in the kitchen sink before putting in the washer (cold water, gentle cycle, with lots of detergent).  I tried this with the Red Cross shirt and it seemed to help.  (The pre-soak water in the sink was golden brown after five minutes of sloshing the fabric back and forth by hand.)

[Poiponen13]

40 C would be comfortable to see in major city.

[hotdogPi]

40 C would be comfortable to see in major city.

Nashville:

I-840 → I-40S
I-40 → I-40C
Unbuilt northern half of beltway → I-40N

[J N Winkler]

40 C would be comfortable to see in major city.

Okay!  So you're headed to Seville next June, right?

[hotdogPi]

It was 39°C the first day I was in Paris. They let everyone use the Metro for free to discourage people from being outside.

[bm7]

I much prefer it being cold rather than being hot. Being outside for more than a few minutes when it's 90+ F gives me a headache that usually lasts the rest of the day. Being outside when it's below freezing gives me a runny nose until I warm back up. Easy choice for me.

[Poiponen13]

40 C would be comfortable to see in major city.

Okay!  So you're headed to Seville next June, right?

Finland has never reported temperatures over 40 C or 100 F. The alltime record high is 37.2 C / 99.0 F. But eventually both will be broken. I imagine many my fantasy cities being located in areas where several days have 40+ C highs, some even 45+ C, like in Central Asia.

[JayhawkCO]

On windy and extremely cold days, I do the following:

*  Stay in the lee of the wind whenever possible

*  Wear a goose-down parka with hood up (it is easier for extremities to stay warm when the core is warm)

*  Wind a thick woolen scarf around my throat in such a way that everything below my eyes is covered

*  Wear a llama-herder's hat on top of scarf and underneath hood

*  Put on thermal underwear

My sub-zero outfitting is far less bulky, hence why I actually voluntarily go out hiking in that stuff:

* Merino wool base layer

* Technical fleece

* Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer down jacket

* Mountaineering hard shell for one slightly warming layer but mostly for wind protection and water/snowproofing

* Any old beanie

* Balaclava if the wind is biting, otherwise no need for me

[Poiponen13]

On windy and extremely cold days, I do the following:

*  Stay in the lee of the wind whenever possible

*  Wear a goose-down parka with hood up (it is easier for extremities to stay warm when the core is warm)

*  Wind a thick woolen scarf around my throat in such a way that everything below my eyes is covered

*  Wear a llama-herder's hat on top of scarf and underneath hood

*  Put on thermal underwear

My sub-zero outfitting is far less bulky, hence why I actually voluntarily go out hiking in that stuff:

* Merino wool base layer

* Technical fleece

* Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer down jacket

* Mountaineering hard shell for one slightly warming layer but mostly for wind protection and water/snowproofing

* Any old beanie

* Balaclava if the wind is biting, otherwise no need for me

You mean  <0 Fahrenheit? Sub-0 C is much more nice and needs lees clothing. I wish next winter in Helsinki goes to -20 C. 0 F, which is -17.8 C, is the average lowest temperature in winter there, last winter we hit -16 C.

[Max Rockatansky]

Apply Vaseline to the parts of your skin getting licked by wind.  I was taught to this while playing sports in high school in Michigan.  Vaseline is very affective blocking the wind from hitting exposed skin.  I still use it on my wrists and neck during winter runs.

Or just... you know... do away with the bitter cold.  Excessive heat doesn't cause me physical pain the way excessive cold does, and there's no need to 'have the right gear'.

Trouble is for me that most of my winter runs are done in weather ranging from 30-37F early in the morning.  I find I'm much more motivated first thing in the morning versus say going for a run after work.  I'm able to go far longer with less fluid intake the colder the weather is. 

The heat coupled with humidity did put me in the emergency room once after a 13.5 mile run through downtown Orlando during the summer of 2015.  The temperature was about 86F and 90% humidity at 5 AM in the morning.  I drank about 70oz of fluid during that run but still ended up with heat exhaustion/heat stroke after.

I try not to run when the temp is over 70. 40 feels great.

Fortunately the morning temperatures in Fresno during summer tend to range from 60-70F.  That's as close to perfect conditions as I can ask for.  Even after the sun goes down in the evening the temperature doesn't dip below 80F often until past 10 PM.

[kphoger]

But I'm pointing out the differences between more extreme cold vs. more extreme heat. There isn't a reasonable corollary to dealing with heat - you can't wear an air conditioning unit for instance. Even if it were socially acceptable to walk around naked in public, that still wouldn't alleviate enough of the heat discomfort (and it would introduce new issues, i.e. sunburning your junk).

But I don't need to wear an air conditioning unit during hot summer days.  I just wear go outside in a tee shirt and shorts or jeans or whatever.  Yes, I'll be sweaty after I'm done doing whatever I'm doing, but no physical pain to endure and no need for special gear to get me through it.  Just go outside, do your thing, and maybe shower off afterward.  The 'heat discomfort' is minimal to me, compared to the 'cold discomfort' I feel in the winter.  When it's over 95 or so, I tire out more easily, but otherwise I'd much rather mow the lawn on a hot summer day than shovel the driveway on a cold winter day.

One thing I've also noticed is that people with a non-zero amount of body fat do not appreciate how quickly and easily beanpoles like me get cold.

[JayhawkCO]

But I'm pointing out the differences between more extreme cold vs. more extreme heat. There isn't a reasonable corollary to dealing with heat - you can't wear an air conditioning unit for instance. Even if it were socially acceptable to walk around naked in public, that still wouldn't alleviate enough of the heat discomfort (and it would introduce new issues, i.e. sunburning your junk).

But I don't need to wear an air conditioning unit during hot summer days.  I just wear go outside in a tee shirt and shorts or jeans or whatever.  Yes, I'll be sweaty after I'm done doing whatever I'm doing, but no physical pain to endure and no need for special gear to get me through it.  Just go outside, do your thing, and maybe shower off afterward.  The 'heat discomfort' is minimal to me, compared to the 'cold discomfort' I feel in the winter.  When it's over 95 or so, I tire out more easily, but otherwise I'd much rather mow the lawn on a hot summer day than shovel the driveway on a cold winter day.

One thing I've also noticed is that people with a non-zero amount of body fat do not appreciate how quickly and easily beanpoles like me get cold.

I'm 6'4", 180#, so not dramatically different from you.

[JayhawkCO]

You mean  <0 Fahrenheit? Sub-0 C is much more nice and needs lees clothing. I wish next winter in Helsinki goes to -20 C. 0 F, which is -17.8 C, is the average lowest temperature in winter there, last winter we hit -16 C.

Obviously, yes, that's what I mean. 0° C can be patio weather here if the sun is shining brightly. Jeans and a heavier hoodie weather.

[kphoger]

I'm 6'4", 180#, so not dramatically different from you.

Yes, you are.  I'm only three inches shorter than you, but I weight about 60 pounds less.

Our BMIs come out to 21.9 vs 15.8.  Actually, when I used one of those handheld BMI things at the YMCA a few years ago, it returned an error code.

[J N Winkler]

My sub-zero outfitting is far less bulky, hence why I actually voluntarily go out hiking in that stuff:

* Merino wool base layer

* Technical fleece

* Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer down jacket

* Mountaineering hard shell for one slightly warming layer but mostly for wind protection and water/snowproofing

* Any old beanie

* Balaclava if the wind is biting, otherwise no need for me

You are also at much higher altitude (5280 feet or more versus 1300 feet), which has an effect on heat transfer.

One thing I've also noticed is that people with a non-zero amount of body fat do not appreciate how quickly and easily beanpoles like me get cold.

I think muscle mass and conditioning is also a factor.  I'm about the same BMI as JayhawkCO, so I'm not exactly a beanpole, but I have noticed that resistance training at the gym makes a noticeable difference in how cold I feel at my extremities.

When it's over 95 or so, I tire out more easily, but otherwise I'd much rather mow the lawn on a hot summer day than shovel the driveway on a cold winter day.

I'd say my preferences in this regard are more evenly balanced.  However, I may find myself shoveling snow just two or three times per winter, whereas I typically mow at least 25 times a year (27 in 2017, 25 in 2018, 28 in 2019, 31 in 2020, 28 in 2021, 20 in 2022, and 22 so far in 2023).  Mowing also requires a fair degree of advance preparation in terms of ice water to take outside and Vitamin C and magnesium before I start.

[Brandon]

40 C would be comfortable to see in major city.

Fuck no.  That's 104^oF.  Where I live, we can see a dew point of 75^oF with those temperatures and a heat index of 119^oF.  Again, fuck no.

[Max Rockatansky]

40 C would be comfortable to see in major city.

Fuck no.  That's 104^oF.  Where I live, we can see a dew point of 75^oF with those temperatures and a heat index of 119^oF.  Again, fuck no.

As someone has lived in those conditions most their adult life I'm greatly amused at how much the number one Sault Sainte John Madden fan is about this.

[JayhawkCO]

My sub-zero outfitting is far less bulky, hence why I actually voluntarily go out hiking in that stuff:

* Merino wool base layer

* Technical fleece

* Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer down jacket

* Mountaineering hard shell for one slightly warming layer but mostly for wind protection and water/snowproofing

* Any old beanie

* Balaclava if the wind is biting, otherwise no need for me

You are also at much higher altitude (5280 feet or more versus 1300 feet), which has an effect on heat transfer.

Yes, but because I'm higher, heat should leave me more easily.

[kphoger]

You are also at much higher altitude (5280 feet or more versus 1300 feet), which has an effect on heat transfer.

Yes, but because I'm higher, heat should leave me more easily.

In my experience, the lower humidity of western climates tends to make me feel less cold than the higher humidity of eastern climates, assuming the same reading on the thermometer.

[Brandon]

40 C would be comfortable to see in major city.

Okay!  So you're headed to Seville next June, right?

Finland has never reported temperatures over 40 C or 100 F. The alltime record high is 37.2 C / 99.0 F. But eventually both will be broken. I imagine many my fantasy cities being located in areas where several days have 40+ C highs, some even 45+ C, like in Central Asia.

You know nothing, Jon Snow.  Here are the temperatures (all Fahrenheit) that I've been in.

Chicagoland, Illinois, July 1995 during a major heat wave where it got to 106^oF with a low of 81^oF.  The dew point was about 80^oF, making for a heat index during the day of about 130^oF.  It was hot as hell for those 5 days, and I was outside doing land surveying during a good portion of it.

Houghton, Michigan, February 1996 during a cold snap during Winter Carnival, specifically the all-nighter part of it when people are finishing up gigantic snow statues.  The temperature was a frosty -23^oF that night with, fortunately, no wind chill.  And yes, I was out in that, helping to complete a 35-foot tall snow statue.