9 July 2012

Yep, it's been cold.

| johnboy
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Just in case the weekend’s sport has not given you enough water cooler icebreakers for easing your human interactions today the ABC is providing a trigger for being the first to mention the cold:

Canberra has experienced its coldest run of temperatures in 36 years, with the mercury dropping below zero for the seventh time in a row.

The minimum temperatures have averaged minus five so far this month.

Meteorologist Ryan White says the warmest night this July so far has been 0.7 degrees.

“The last eight nights in a row we’ve had it pretty much at the minus five degree mark as an average, so it is quite incredible,” said Mr White.

Still aways from the record of 23 consecutive sub zero nights. But the streak is there to be beaten.

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Holden Caulfield1:02 pm 10 Jul 12

Walker said :

I recall a time back when Helen Razor was at 2xx (whoa now we’re winding back). I would wear gloves, scarves, demisting the toyota was an art form (read hassle), and puddles iced over enough to enjoy smashing them of a morning.

This may be cold now and whatever record in context, but I don’t wear a scarf or gloves and there’s no pond iced over.

So, what gives? Have I just hardened up? Where’s the puddles? Where’s the acres of frost, it melts by the time I drive to work. No white fields…

On Monday morning the 9L green plastic watering can* I leave by the car overnight was virtually frozen solid. There was some liquid in there, but when I tried to pour water out of the spout not a drop came out. I was a bit late leaving that day, too, so this was about 8:45am, I usually leave around 8am and haven’t come across this problem before.

I also drive past the Canturf farm next to the Monaro Hwy on the way to work each morning and I can say that there’s been many fields of white in the last week or two.

Having said that, I agree partly and seem to recall there being many more icy puddles and the like in Canberra when I was a wee lad in the mid 70s, which me and my gloveless primary school mates used to enjoy breaking up and throwing at each other.

But I find it hard to deny the last few weeks haven’t been properly cold.

* /me hopes someone gets and enjoys the reference.

Holden Caulfield12:28 pm 10 Jul 12

No frost on the car this morning. I was quite happy about that, but I’m also wondering if I should complain to Julia that the price on carbon hasn’t worked?

troll-sniffer10:57 am 10 Jul 12

Friday night I went out to Michelago and emerged from the warm glow of a fire into the cold clear night air. The car obligingly told me it was -4 degrees at 11pm. Upon entering the suburbs of Canberra the temperature jumped to 0 degrees and then 1 – 2 degrees in the heart of the metropolis.

Might have just been a localised pattern but I suspect that inner Canberra is regularly 4 or so degrees warmer than the surrounding paddocks and open countryside. Part of the warming can be explained by the trees, studies have shown that even sparsely wooded paddocks are a couple of degrees warmer than nearby open fields.

I recall a time back when Helen Razor was at 2xx (whoa now we’re winding back). I would wear gloves, scarves, demisting the toyota was an art form (read hassle), and puddles iced over enough to enjoy smashing them of a morning.

This may be cold now and whatever record in context, but I don’t wear a scarf or gloves and there’s no pond iced over.

So, what gives? Have I just hardened up? Where’s the puddles? Where’s the acres of frost, it melts by the time I drive to work. No white fields.

I love the Canberra seasons. I hope they keep coming back. But things will never be the same.

We are currently at a solar minimum. Think of this as a sort of a decade long season. That minimum is about to expire.

Bookmark this page. Write it in your diary. Revisit every year for a few years.

p1 said :

johnboy said :

Or maybe it’s really cold here in canberra this week and if we want to talk global trends we need global data over time?

What he said.

Oh now we’re just being sensible!

Still if people want to make the point and ask, so they should.

(but yeah… +1)

Here’s a nice looking graph of the cold streak.

I moved here as a kid in 1976 from a much warmer area and I well remember the shock of the first winters back then. I’ve always said to people that it was colder here when I was a kid, and this reaffirms that belief.

great shirt sleeves day walking around the lake at lunch, beautiful just beautiful.

As long as you remember to start the car 10 minutes before you go off to work

Ahh, cold weather – those still, clear, frosty mornings, blue daytime skies and crisp evenings.

I love Canberra.

JimCharles said :

it doesn’t see that bad to me. It’s still air, there’s no wind chill, no rain…

Hope you enjoy your first October here! 🙂

JimCharles said :

Baldy said :

I love the cold. It’s one of the reasons I have stayed in Canberra. Loving the drop in tempretures.

So does this count as “extreme” weather for Canberra? I see it’s the coldest run of nights for 47 years, but it doesn’t see that bad to me. It’s still air, there’s no wind chill, no rain….if you do have to have cold this is a “nice” cold right?
Having only been here 6 months I love it. The rain in March I remember they said included the longest consecutive run of overcast days (7?) for over 30 years.
You do get it pretty good here compared to most other places.

Compared to other places which usually get between -20 and -40 during winter it is cold. Don’t know about being extreme though.

And yes, if you have to have cold, this is a good one as long as you aren’t homeless.

The Traineediplomat6:16 pm 09 Jul 12

Sitting on the other side of the world here, I would love some of that single digit (negative or positive action).

It’s been over 30 degrees as a maximum for at least 2 weeks here….Nothing more soul destroying then seeing the ol “side of the post office” electronic temperature gauge at 32…at 8am in the morning!

Baldy said :

I love the cold. It’s one of the reasons I have stayed in Canberra. Loving the drop in tempretures.

So does this count as “extreme” weather for Canberra? I see it’s the coldest run of nights for 47 years, but it doesn’t see that bad to me. It’s still air, there’s no wind chill, no rain….if you do have to have cold this is a “nice” cold right?
Having only been here 6 months I love it. The rain in March I remember they said included the longest consecutive run of overcast days (7?) for over 30 years.
You do get it pretty good here compared to most other places.

Pork Hunt said :

troll-sniffer said :

shirty_bear said :

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

Interesting how the ill-informed make statements that are totally meaningless in the climate change debate.

A couple of minutes research by a competent mind will show that the symptoms of global warming are wider and wider swings in the weather patterns, with more frequent and more viloent events appearing. A record cold snap is just as likely to happen as a record heat wave, however in the long term the tendency will be for average temperatures across the globe to rise.

What should one wear if frequent and viloent events are forecast?

I hear this seasons colours for CLimate catastrophies is Blue with a red double stitch, but I could be wrong.

troll-sniffer said :

shirty_bear said :

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

Interesting how the ill-informed make statements that are totally meaningless in the climate change debate.

A couple of minutes research by a competent mind will show that the symptoms of global warming are wider and wider swings in the weather patterns, with more frequent and more viloent events appearing. A record cold snap is just as likely to happen as a record heat wave, however in the long term the tendency will be for average temperatures across the globe to rise.

What should one wear if frequent and viloent events are forecast?

I love the cold. It’s one of the reasons I have stayed in Canberra. Loving the drop in tempretures.

However I also realise that there are homeless out there that aren’t enjoying it all that much. I have been giving more money and a few cheap warm clothes to them whenever I see them this year.

dungfungus said :

johnboy said :

Further climate change debate is going to be ruled off topic and deleted. Feel free to share how cold it was though.

It was about as cold as it gets every winter I have been in Canberra for the past 29 years.

Umm…did you actually read the article? I clearly states that it is the coldest July for those said 29 years, not “It has been the same temptrture for the last 29 years.”

astrojax said :

‘s been lovely weather, really – beautiful brisk mornings seeping into bright clear days; my favourite kind of climate, this. and anyway, a bit of frost never hurt no-one…

I agree. I love Canberra’s winters. The days are beautiful, as are the frosts in the morning.

Plus there is something wonderfully romantic about getting all rugged up in scarves and gloves and walking arm-in-arm with your better half along one of Canberra’s lakes in the evening.

Love the frosty cold mornings as long as they are followed by the brilliant sunny days we have been having.

Even Alice Springs have been getting down to -4 most nights. BBBrrrr!!!!!!!!

dtc said :

My 6 and 9 yr old kids rode to school every morning last week. Ok, its only about a 10-12 minute ride, but if they can do it then so can y’all. They did complain a bit; but then again they were restricted to wearing school uniform and not the latest fancy windproof gear.

Did you tell them it builds character? Used to drive me spare when I was a kid, and my kids are loving it just as much 🙂

‘s been lovely weather, really – beautiful brisk mornings seeping into bright clear days; my favourite kind of climate, this. and anyway, a bit of frost never hurt no-one…

no-one who hasn’t been out sleeping in it…

johnboy said :

There was one day last week I diced with death and rode with my hood up. But a $25 pair of gloves from target seem to have solved my cold issues.

$7 gloves from Aldi…however, dont get the snowboarding gloves, they look a bit weird when you are riding on a Canberra cycle path.

My 6 and 9 yr old kids rode to school every morning last week. Ok, its only about a 10-12 minute ride, but if they can do it then so can y’all. They did complain a bit; but then again they were restricted to wearing school uniform and not the latest fancy windproof gear.

CapitalK said :

I’m glad the ABC have run this story – I was thinking I was starting to get soft…feeling the cold a little more this year (Canberran born and bred).

Me too. Just not dealing well with it, even bought a second doona so now there’s 2 doonas in the doona cover! And it is working well.

Jethro said :

I’m just proud that I managed to cycle to work every day last week. If that was the coldest week in 3 decades then it means I’ve withstood the worst Canberra has to offer!

It has been crazy cold, but I always found rainy and windy days much worse. Although I drove the car then parked and rode the pushy this morning, and damn that wind was bite-y.

CapitalK said :

I’m glad the ABC have run this story – I was thinking I was starting to get soft…feeling the cold a little more this year (Canberran born and bred).

As a recent Melburnian, I find myself chuckling when I hear on the news “Melbourne shivered through a freezing night last night with a low of…….4 degrees.”

I’m just proud that I managed to cycle to work every day last week. If that was the coldest week in 3 decades then it means I’ve withstood the worst Canberra has to offer!

There was one day last week I diced with death and rode with my hood up. But a $25 pair of gloves from target seem to have solved my cold issues.

Good to see the local ignoramuses are out in force today.

I’m glad the ABC have run this story – I was thinking I was starting to get soft…feeling the cold a little more this year (Canberran born and bred).

p1 said :

harvyk1 said :

1. People preaching about stuff
2. A whole lot of other people who believe whatever they are told, even if they don’t understand it
3. A handful of “bosses” who are getting very rich off those peoples beliefs…

Interesting argument you make. Can you differentiate between climate change, US (and Australian) involvement in Iraq & Afghanistan, the Apollo Missions (to the moon), Speed cameras, or daily vitamin supplements – using nothing but the three criteria list above?

Probably not, but we’ve now confirmed that medicine and medical practice in general is a religion.

johnboy said :

Further climate change debate is going to be ruled off topic and deleted. Feel free to share how cold it was though.

It was about as cold as it gets every winter I have been in Canberra for the past 29 years.

VYBerlinaV8_is_back12:39 pm 09 Jul 12

johnboy said :

Further climate change debate is going to be ruled off topic and deleted. Feel free to share how cold it was though.

It was really cold this morning.

troll-sniffer said :

shirty_bear said :

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

Interesting how the ill-informed make statements that are totally meaningless in the climate change debate.

A couple of minutes research by a competent mind will show that the symptoms of global warming are wider and wider swings in the weather patterns, with more frequent and more viloent events appearing. A record cold snap is just as likely to happen as a record heat wave, however in the long term the tendency will be for average temperatures across the globe to rise.

What you have said is tantamount to saying “on one hand it may rain; on the other hand it may not”
And when you talk about records, how far are you going back in time?

Further climate change debate is going to be ruled off topic and deleted. Feel free to share how cold it was though.

Elizabethany12:24 pm 09 Jul 12

harvyk1 said :

shirty_bear said :

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

@everyone except shirty_bear

Interesting how the above comment was directed at the media, and how they are selective on when they run climate change stories, and yet the climate change religion has misread this as an assault to their beliefs and have gone on a full offensive…

Ah climate change, in 200 years they are going to look upon this and call it a religion. It has all the hallmarks…

1. People preaching about stuff
2. A whole lot of other people who believe whatever they are told, even if they don’t understand it
3. A handful of “bosses” who are getting very rich off those peoples beliefs…

While I agree that it is unfortunate that the media generally write for the lowest common denominator, and therefore cause confusion about the topic, people saying “OMG It’s cold so climate change must be fake to make someone who isn’t me rich!” doesn’t help.

BTW, can you actually name any of these “bosses”?

harvyk1 said :

1. People preaching about stuff
2. A whole lot of other people who believe whatever they are told, even if they don’t understand it
3. A handful of “bosses” who are getting very rich off those peoples beliefs…

Interesting argument you make. Can you differentiate between climate change, US (and Australian) involvement in Iraq & Afghanistan, the Apollo Missions (to the moon), Speed cameras, or daily vitamin supplements – using nothing but the three criteria list above?

I suspected this would degenerate into a climate change debate (and I use the term loosely) but I did not expect it to happen in the first post. Lame.

shirty_bear said :

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

@everyone except shirty_bear

Interesting how the above comment was directed at the media, and how they are selective on when they run climate change stories, and yet the climate change religion has misread this as an assault to their beliefs and have gone on a full offensive…

Ah climate change, in 200 years they are going to look upon this and call it a religion. It has all the hallmarks…

1. People preaching about stuff
2. A whole lot of other people who believe whatever they are told, even if they don’t understand it
3. A handful of “bosses” who are getting very rich off those peoples beliefs…

joingler said :

I hate it when people post common sense on this forum

Don’t worry. It doesn’t happen often.

johnboy said :

Or maybe it’s really cold here in canberra this week and if we want to talk global trends we need global data over time?

‘zactly, jb – some people need to get to grips with the definitions of ‘weather’ and ‘climate’ and understand the vast gulf of difference t’wixt the two…

VYBerlinaV8_is_back11:32 am 09 Jul 12

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

Based on….

Science? That thing you don’t know the first thing about but seem to think you’re qualified to talk about anyway? More qualified than the tens of thousands of people who are really, really qualified to talk about it, and who all agree that you’re wrong?

Look, it’s really hot over there! I wonder where all the energy comes from? Why, it comes from over there, where it’s now really cold, because there’s no energy.

Put an ice cube in a glass. Watch it melt. OMG ITS TEH CONSPIRACY HOW DID TEH CLIEMAT JEWS GET IN MY KICTHEN SAVE ME SUPERBOLT

This Superbolt has a cape, right?

johnboy said :

Or maybe it’s really cold here in canberra this week and if we want to talk global trends we need global data over time?

I hate it when people post common sense on this forum

Woody Mann-Caruso11:04 am 09 Jul 12

Based on….

Science? That thing you don’t know the first thing about but seem to think you’re qualified to talk about anyway? More qualified than the tens of thousands of people who are really, really qualified to talk about it, and who all agree that you’re wrong?

Look, it’s really hot over there! I wonder where all the energy comes from? Why, it comes from over there, where it’s now really cold, because there’s no energy.

Put an ice cube in a glass. Watch it melt. OMG ITS TEH CONSPIRACY HOW DID TEH CLIEMAT JEWS GET IN MY KICTHEN SAVE ME SUPERBOLT

johnboy said :

Or maybe it’s really cold here in canberra this week and if we want to talk global trends we need global data over time?

What he said.

troll-sniffer said :

shirty_bear said :

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

Interesting how the ill-informed make statements that are totally meaningless in the climate change debate.

A couple of minutes research by a competent mind will show that the symptoms of global warming are wider and wider swings in the weather patterns, with more frequent and more viloent events appearing. A record cold snap is just as likely to happen as a record heat wave, however in the long term the tendency will be for average temperatures across the globe to rise.

Interesting how the gullible make this into a believers v. deniers debate rather than reading what I wrote … for mine, this quasi-religious fervour is one of the great weaknesses of the believers.

What I said was that the media were ignoring it. Because it’s cold, not hot. By your logic, this is further evidence of “climate change”, and yet there’s no media trumpeting of such. Maybe they’re afraid of confusing the great unwashed. Or the gullible.

Or maybe it’s really cold here in canberra this week and if we want to talk global trends we need global data over time?

troll-sniffer said :

shirty_bear said :

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

Interesting how the ill-informed make statements that are totally meaningless in the climate change debate.

A couple of minutes research by a competent mind will show that the symptoms of global warming are wider and wider swings in the weather patterns, with more frequent and more viloent events appearing. A record cold snap is just as likely to happen as a record heat wave, however in the long term the tendency will be for average temperatures across the globe to rise.

Based on….

Elizabethany10:18 am 09 Jul 12

shirty_bear said :

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

Climate change does not make it so we have heat waves ALL the time, we still (and will continue to) have seasons that are hot, cold or even mild. What it does do is make long term average temperatures higher, and cause more extreme weather effects (including harsher winters). What we are seeing at the moment is an increase in “record breaking” events. This does not mean that without climate change we wouldn’t break records, just that it is more likely.

troll-sniffer10:10 am 09 Jul 12

shirty_bear said :

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

Interesting how the ill-informed make statements that are totally meaningless in the climate change debate.

A couple of minutes research by a competent mind will show that the symptoms of global warming are wider and wider swings in the weather patterns, with more frequent and more viloent events appearing. A record cold snap is just as likely to happen as a record heat wave, however in the long term the tendency will be for average temperatures across the globe to rise.

Anything to get people off talking about Kate Jackson and the heath rorts.

Holden Caulfield9:51 am 09 Jul 12

Another sporting triumph of note was Mark Webber winning the British GP.

Go Mark!

Six consecutive (or is it seven now?) below -4C … chilly.

Interesting how a week of hot will bring the climate change alarmists out of the woodwork, but a week of cold? Hardly a peep out of the mindless media. I wish I was surprised.

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