it's Freezing in Southern California

[JI7]

i have only experienced Southern California winters and it seems colder than it has ever been. i usually love going out when it's cold . but i'm freezing even in some of my heaviest clothes. i love to go walk outside, especially when it's cold but my feet start to freeze up now.

i think i need to buy a new coat.

there are a lot of homeless especially in the Los Angeles area. i hope everyone is able to find some warmth.

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. Yes, it is colder than a witches . . .

Uh, can't say that.
It is colder than a well digger's ass in Montana.
That I can say.
It has snowed here in San Diego before, last year as I recall.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. We bought some very warm winter-weight clothing to wear in Iceland...

I'm using my jacket quite a lot, even during the day.

The wind can go right through me!

I hope everyone is able to find a warm place too...

[Larrymoe Curlyshemp]

21. Martin Sheen said it best:

[pinboy3niner]

24. That was Brando :)

But we know what you mean.

[silvershadow]

3. What is the temperature? Just curious. I have been to LA quite a few times over the years,

just vacations and such. I have always been lucky, and found it warm and pleasant. I went in February a few years ago, and was able to swim in the outdoor pool. I do know it get chilly sometimes, though. Had a layover in LA one year on my way overseas, and it was in the 50's.

[ellisonz]

5. 48 F - lows are in the high 30s through Monday.

[silvershadow]

8. Wow. I saw the weather graphics earlier on the screen, but the volume was down. I noticed

the dip. Had no idea. Well, if you're close to the water maybe you can curl up next to a walrus. lol

[Le Taz Hot]

17. You know our East Coast

counterparts are laughing their asses off at us right about now, don't you?

[ellisonz]

18. You mean those people with funny accents?

No wonder they *choose* to live in such cold places. Also, Florida blows chunks.

[Le Taz Hot]

20. My general California philosophy

is that one doesn't actually LIVE IN the snow. One goes and VISITS the snow and then one goes home. Anything else is an absurdity.

[ellisonz]

22. Exactly.

I tried living in the snow once. It was all fun and games until I realized I had no frickin' clue how to put chains on tires. I don't have time for such inconveniences!

Where's my Offspring CDs? It's time for a leisurely drive!

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. I am picking the chains

Hubby will have to teach me how to put 'em, been required on and off all week in the back country.

[ellisonz]

56. Good Luck with those!

[nadinbrzezinski]

57. Well, even the jeep in 4x4 on icy roads

Needs the extra grip. I prefer that, than going wheee!!!

[silvershadow]

27. Not lmao, but...I *am sure enjoying this 50 degree at night temp with clear, starry skies. It got

up to 55 or 56 today, with 60 a possibility the next couple of days. For us, that is a heatwave. It melted the last of the ice and snow from the blizzards. Very nice indeed.

[Brickbat]

34. I went to an LA Raiders game many years ago (obviously) and was wearing shorts and a sweatshirt.

It was maybe 60 degrees, a gorgeous sunny November day. I couldn't get over all the flowers in bloom. The woman selling me my ticket was concerned about my attire and asked if I had mittens. I said, "I'm from Minnesota." She said, "Oh. Then you're good."

[Beaverhausen]

38. You have to understand- our homes aren't built with much insulation

I'm from the east coast and now live in Los Angeles. My house has one wall heater that does not do a good job keeping my whole (little) house warm.

We just aren't used to it being this cold. I too pray that our homeless population can find warm shelter.

[JI7]

6. 50s and under depending on what area and what time

[YvonneCa]

45. 28 degrees here in Temecula...

...for next three nights. 49 daytime high...

[nadinbrzezinski]

50. You are in Temecula?

Hi almost neighbor.

[YvonneCa]

68. Yes. Hi to...

...you!

[nadinbrzezinski]

69. One of these days we got to do more than virtual hi

[Amonester]

26. Map here:

Meanwhile, it's like Easter in the East... Climate change indeed!

[Speck Tater]

4. When I was living in L.A. in 1962 or 1963 there was snow

on the valley floor (Northridge) and my friends and I hiked up the hills just north of Granada Hills - Northidge - Chatsworth into foot-deep snow.

[JVS]

7. Is this going to interfere with this year's production of Gallo wines?

Because I'd consider that a personal tragedy.

[Le Taz Hot]

10. Gallo Wines

are produced further north (Central Valley). We're cold here but we're more used to it than our SoCal brothers/sisters.
On edit: Unless, of course, that was snark and in that case:

[JVS]

12. I would never snark about Gallo wines.

[Socal31]

19. 2013 may be a bad vintage.

I hope our numerous variations of world-class grapes pull through. Not only do I say this selfishly because I am currently drinking a wonderful glass of a Sonoma cab, but it is also a rapidly growing part of this state's economy. With a rising middle-class in China, and California wines gaining legitimacy every year, our wine exports are increasing dramatically.

[Le Taz Hot]

23. I can't speak for any other area

but it's not unusual for Central California winters to get down into the 20's and even the teens occasionally. As long as there are no long-term, deep freezes, we're OK. The citrus farmers are a little worried as it's supposed to be down to 21 degrees tonight but they'll be taking measures to heat up the trees. Poor guys/gals will literally be up all night tending the fires or water, depending on the method they'll be using.

[Brother Buzz]

33. The vines are dorment and a winter freeze will not effect the fall crop

The real danger that impacts the crop are freezes in the spring when the buds are emerging and very vulnerable to frost. Lots of long nights lighting smudge pots, turning on wind machines, and wringing hands when that happens.

[WiffenPoof]

9. I'm In Crestline (Arrowhead Area)

21 degrees tonight

[DreamGypsy]

11. In the winter you can freeze to death ... in the California snow

Sometimes I just have to respond via a song. The comment "i think i need to buy a new coat" helped trigger this, plus the concern for the homeless in LA,...and maybe those on the border with their dreams.

Well, I don't know where they came from
Or where they planned to go
But he carried her body all night long
Through the California snow

A great performance by Tom Russell:

[JDPriestly]

13. I have been thinking so much about the homeless on these cold days and nights in Los Angeles.

If it is cold here, if it is cold in our house, how in the world are they managing. It is heartbreaking that we have so many homeless. All the more so because I notice signs on a lot of the the low-income apartment buildings that say for rent, first month free. Places are empty and people have no warm place to sleep at night. It is a horrible thing.

I remember years ago when we first came to LA. It was winter, and I took buses from the northeast of the LA to Century City leaving the house at about 5:00 in the morning. I had to change buses on, I think, Spring Street.

Around the bus stop, people were sleeping on the sidewalk -- trying to keep warm. We still, after all these years, have far too many homeless.

There is perhaps a somewhat higher prevalence of mental illness among the homeless, and certainly a higher prevalence of alcoholism (based on my years working on the homeless issue), but there is also a high prevalence of mental illness and alcoholism among people who are not homeless, on people who live with their families or who have qualified for SSI or some other assistance. Homeless people, like the other mentally ill or troubled people, need help with those afflictions, but most of all, they just need a place to live and food.

A few people are homeless because they just feel uncomfortable or afraid when they live within four walls and don't want to sleep inside. But the vast majority of homeless people are homeless BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE, and not for any other reason. It is a shame that we have plenty of housing and still have homeless people.

It must be so cold sleeping on a sidewalk or under a bridge on a windy, cold night like this. We can do better. No American should be homeless, not in a country that spends what we spend on missiles and tanks and drones and other killing machines. Not in a country in which people spend what we spend on guns.

[HiPointDem]

14. +1.

[blaze]

65. +1 again nt

[pinboy3niner]

15. 31° right now in Antelope Valley (North L.A. County), heading down to 18°

It dropped as low as 10° a couple weeks ago, and the local 120-bed shelter has been operating at full capacity since October.

[Cali_Democrat]

16. You're not kidding

This is insane. I'm not used to this!

[AZ Progressive]

29. I'm a former Californian

I've also been to the east this past November. I got to experience lows around 30 degrees and highs about 45 degrees. For me, wearing 2 layers of pants(sweatpants underneath jeans), a long sleeve shirt, and two jackets (including a windbreaker on top) was good enough.

Right now in Tucson, AZ its going to be 23 degrees. You have it better in SoCali.

[Starry Messenger]

48. I look like that right now!

I just put on two pairs of socks to go out grocery shopping. You'd think I was going out into the snowy wastes to hunt bison!

[KharmaTrain]

25. Meanwhile Here In The Midwest...

...it's currently 51 degrees in the Chicago area...our overnight temp is 20 degrees above the normal daily high for this date. We haven't had a snowfall of more than an inch in over 330 days (a record that stood for 70 years). Yesterday I saw some dudes out golfing...and I swear the tree next door is starting to bud. They predict the temps will drop back into the 30s tomorrow but that's still a far cry from the sub-zero temps that have rolled through here at this time of year. It's been a strange winter all over...keep warm out west.

[Sherman A1]

30. Yup,

it was shirt sleeve weather yesterday in St. Louis. Reminded me of early to mid March.

[davidpdx]

28. That is cold for California

It was 34 F for a high and 18 F for a low here in South Korea. It got down to 3 F overnight late last week.

[Fire Walk With Me]

31. "California hit by big freeze with temperatures as low as 12 degrees"

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/12/16477852-california-hit-by-big-freeze-with-temperatures-as-low-as-12-degrees

[Tsiyu]

32. I think we got your weather by mistake

and we're not giving it back!

Cumberland Plateau in TN is usually bitter cold in January - temps in the teens at night sometimes.

Right now it's 62 degrees here. Dreary and overcast, but 62 degrees?


Of course, all of us are enjoying the global warming with windows open and the woodpile staying tall and the low heating bills expected; I won't lie. We will pay if fruit trees break dormancy and bugs aren't killed off. But the cold is not missed one iota.

It's just really weird.

[whatchamacallit]

35. Yeah, weird cold for here

[WillyT]

37. Weather Watches & Warnings Map For The Pacific Here:

[nadinbrzezinski]

51. All the way to the Mexican border

Inland valleys.

[WillyT]

59. MSNBC Article On It Here:

California hit by big freeze with temperatures as low as 12 degrees
By Elliot Spagat, The Associated Press
1/12/13

<snip>

Californians are bundling up with sweaters and gloves and stocking up on firewood as they brace for several nights of freezing temperatures.

The National Weather Service is forecasting morning frost on San Diego beaches. Big Sur, on the central coast, prepared for daytime highs almost 20 degrees below Boston's. Even the snowbird haven of Palm Springs faced the possibility of freezing temperatures at night.

In addition, San Diego zookeepers turned up the heat for chimpanzees and some farmers broke out wind machines and took other steps to protect crops from freezing.

Freeze warnings were in effect in San Diego County valleys and deserts Saturday morning with lows in the 20s and 30s, the weather service said.

In Sonoma County, homeless shelters started handing out extra warm clothes on Friday to protect people from freezing overnight temperatures.

Morning temps fell into the 20s and 30s in many areas, and much lower in the mountains. A low of 12 degrees was recorded in the Big Bear mountain resort east of Los Angeles.

<snip>

Link: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/12/16477852-california-hit-by-big-freeze-with-temperatures-as-low-as-12-degrees?lite

[nadinbrzezinski]

60. Yesterday we got a situation

In my back country that fortunately solved itself. But f I had to go up there to cover it, meant heavy winter clothes, coffee in the thermos, extra food and blankets.

I love the ability to listen to scanner.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

39. 42 degrees

about 8:30 this morning when I took the chihuahua for a walk. Boy, did she finish her business quickly, and boy, was I glad I had socks on. Suet feeders are swarmed by several different kinds of birds, and the squirrelys are loving their peanut butter crackers and apples.

[Gormy Cuss]

40. Skip the coat and buy warmer socks.

People in colder regions have winter boots/shoes for a reason. They also have winter-weight socks (wool,wool-blend or a synthetic designed to help heat retention.) If your feet are cold no amount of layering above that will help.

Also, cover your head and hands. Keeping the extremities warm is important.

It's really tough for the people living on the streets. I hope that they can find warm shelter.

[nadinbrzezinski]

54. I got real winter clothing

Including a very nice pair of snow boots... And winter socks.

But as fas as Californians go, rare bird indeed. If need be, read covering a major emergency in the mountains, thermal clothes as well...from years of EMS.

I recommend head cover as well. We lose most heat on the head.

[IcyPeas]

41. Just want to say I love my electric blanket. /eom

[nadinbrzezinski]

58. Word to the wise

Be careful with it...burns are not altogether uncommon.

[MindPilot]

42. It is a different kind of cold

I'm from Colorado so I know what it is like to chip ice off the car when it's well below zero. But Socal cold is a damp cold that goes right to the bone and 50 in San Diego can feel like 30 in Denver.

[lunatica]

43. Recently I read some climate change expert studies that said

The California coast will stay pretty much the same with its Mediterranean climate because of the wind direction from the Pacific Ocean, but that central California will get much warmer. That we'll lose our forests inland due to rise in heat.

It's been pretty cold in the Bay Area. I've had to wear much warmer clothing and I've actually put on gloves for the first time in years.

[AZ Progressive]

44. The Eastern U.S., wait a day or two

It's going to be 30 high / 17 low in Chicago tomorrow. Dallas about 44 high / 28 low tomorrow. Cleveland about 31 high / low 27 on Monday. Nashville about 38 degrees high / 30 low on Monday.

[AverageJoe90]

66. Yeah, these things do happen.

I wouldn't worry too much about a temporary temperature swing, TBH. It's the drought in the Plains I'm concerned about right now.....last I heard, they haven't had a drought this bad since 1956.

[Marr]

46. I'm in Long Beach and have had ice on my car windows in the mornings lately.

That's just bizarre-- never seen it like this here before.

[dogknob]

47. I live in Dana Point. 33°F this morning.

I grew up in San Diego and there were a couple of winters this cold... years ago.

[CountAllVotes]

52. 32 degrees up north late night

Freezing and had to let the water go drip drip drip all night so the pipes outside wouldn't freeze up AGAIN!

Cold you say?

How about FREEZING in the woods. *brrrrrr*

[Blue_In_AK]

53. How odd.

And we're expecting near 50 here in Anchorage tomorrow. Not terribly unusual for us to get warm wind in the winter, but not in combo with cold down there. Weird...

[LiberalEsto]

55. 60 degrees in Maryland

[Terra Alta]

61. It's 75 in south central NC.

Which I think ties the record high.

The weather is crazy, I tell ya.

[s-cubed]

62. It's 68 F in in Cleveland Ohio. Supposed to go down into the twenties Sunday night. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

64. Leading edge of this cold mass

Likely.

[shanti]

63. i grew up in the OC

and remember stomping on ice puddles while waiting for the school bus in 1967. it does happen, just not often.

[brandonk]

67. must be

all that global warming they warned us about

[nadinbrzezinski]

70. We are honored with your presence Rush

:snort:

[jillan]

72. I'm sorry you do not understand how the warming is measured.

[jillan]

71. Freezing in Phoenix too - but even more so in Tucson.

Daughter posted a pic of her car in Tucson covered in ice and thin layer of snow.

Brrrrr.
But I am loving a break from the heat.

[taught_me_patience]

73. This winter has been chillier than the last several for sure

I'm not sure it cracked 55 today in Long Beach... and as soon as the sun went down it got cold QUICK!!!

[rufus dog]

74. cold for sure

Have experienced this before in the OC. As always stated a few days means squat, extended extremes are concerning.

The sprinklers have been turned off for 45 plus days, which is has happened only a couple of times in the past twenty years. The summer months were extemely dry and hot. This year being the longest.

Overall I think those of us in SoCal will see the least impact of Global Warming. (Although I think SD will see some Hurricanes) Which makes me ponder the existense of a God. Us Godless Californians will be the least impacted. Go figure.