It’s all relative

For the past two weeks, we have been in a winter deep freeze, with temperatures barely making the daily high warmer than -23, and feeling like -34 with the wind chill. Those are the daily highs. Never mind the overnight lows, and waking up to temps of -30 with a wind chill of -43.

So earlier last week, when it was reported that the Toronto area was experiencing severely cold temperatures at -15, Manitobans mocked them. We are a sturdy lot, here in Manitoba, embracing the nickname “Winter-peg”. I did try to come to the aid of my Ontario kinfolk by trying to educate the mocking Manitobans by enlightening them that if you factor in Ontario’s humidity, it feels like a much colder “cold”; a cold that goes through all of your layers. I tried. I got mocked.

But I think it is all relative. For those living in Ontario where the seasonal temperatures are much more moderate and -5 might be typical for a winter day, then -15 is much colder. Here in Manitoba, our typical winter day is around -15.

The sad thing is, last Friday, when the high was about -22 with a wind chill of -35, and the sky was a beautiful blue and full of bright sunshine, I actually said to someone, “It’s warming up! It’s not too bad out there!”

It’s all relative.

Found the following at www.yuksrus.com/weather_coldtemp.html. Enjoy!

"Cold" is a relative term. Use the handy list below to overcome
the confusion. (Degrees Celsius)

+25 Aussies put on sweaters (if they can find one in their wardrobe)
(technically, they call it a jumper, which explains why they can't
find a "sweater")

+20 Miami residents turn on the heat

+10 You can see your breath
Vancouverites shiver uncontrollably

+5 Italian cars don't start

0 Water freezes

-5 Maritimers put on T-shirts
Politicians begin to worry about the homeless
British cars don't start

-10 Toronto water freezes
Vancouverites weep pitiably
Manitobans eat ice cream on the patio
Maritimers go swimming

-15 You can hear your breath
Politicians begin to talk about the homeless
Montreal water freezes

-20 French cars don't start
You plan a vacation in Mexico
Cat insists on sleeping in your bed with you

-25 Too cold to ski
Manitobans do up the top button
You need jumper cables to get the car going

-30 American cars don't start
Yukoners put on T-shirts
Too cold to skate

-35 German cars don't start
Eyes freeze shut when you blink
You can cut your breath and use it to build an igloo
Newfoundlanders stick tongue on metal objects
Miami residents cease to exist

-40 Cat insists on sleeping in your pajamas with you
Politicians actually do something about the homeless
Ottawans shovel snow off roof
Japanese cars don't start

-45 Too cold to think
You need jumper cables to get the driver going

-50 You plan a two week hot bath (if you could only thaw the water)
The St Lawrence freezes over
Swedish cars don't start

-55 Vancouverites disappear
Maritimers put on sweaters
Other Canadians put on overcoats
Your car helps you plan your trip South, but won't start

-60 Parliamentary hot air freezes
Yukoners close the bathroom window

-70 Hell freezes over
Polar bears move south