The real problem with the current storms that are so bothersome for the NE part of the US is that they simply are not used to such weather. wind, blowing snow, temps lower than +10 F are not common enough to instill a perception of need to have clothing that will keep them warm. They still want to look fashionable. um, when the temp goes below -18C or zero F, fashionable clothing is a distant memory. Only the neighbors to Mount Katahdin understand the normalcy of bad winter weather. or Mount Washington, but that is a weather research site.
to answer an earlier question, Embarass MN and Tower MN are considered the cold spots in MN, routinely vying for which location is colder. although International Falls MN is often used by car companies to test the cold weather survivability of their respective vehicles.
which is about the same competing relationship between Верхоянск and Оймяко́н in Siberia, essentially the 'Pole of Cold'. Those two villages are situated in a high plain with mountains blocking movement of the air-pressure high that sits over the top of them most of the year. Routine winter temps in Верхоянск are -40C to -50C and can achieve -60 C and lower. the inhabitants dress in coats with the skin on the outside and the fur on the inside. forget about looks. or, then there is Магадан and Ана́дырь in the far NorthWest of Russia, which are old exile towns from Tzarist or later part of the Gulag in Stalin times. Stories I have directly heard from Russians who survived the Gulag are astounding for their survivability.
IOW, If you dress for the winter weather, the weather is survivable. That might even mean a true mountain parka, which is actually 2 down coats one inside of the other. If the vehicles have headbolt heaters or magnetic oilpan heaters, battery heaters, and in routine temps past -20F to -30F synthetic oils are needed (dino-oils are not suitable), vehicles will start . in Fairbanks Alaska and farther north, some vehicles even have double-pane windshields. or away from shelter, you leave the engine running all the time. lots of conditions. lots of time spent.
Your theory about NE'ers is NOT totally true. It depends where you live, where you use to live and what experience you have in the outdoors. As I mentioned in other posts on this thread and NPB's thread,,,,,,,,,,,,,We may not be Minnesota. Michigan ect,,,,,,,,but we can still get cold weather here. We have had weather like this plenty times before. Maybe not 16 days in a row below freezing,but we have had this weather for stretches.
I was born in Cleveland,gets pretty cold there. Lived in western,PA.near SMETHPORT which holds the record for coldest temp. in PA......MINUS 46F!!
You only need to drive a few hours from here in the Mts. and the temp. can be 10 to 20 degrees colder.
I have been to Lake Placid, N.Y numerous times where I hiked in Minus 19F weather! You have to know what to wear,that simple!
So, the average Joe and Mary just stay inside,they are not outdoors men, Flashaholics or adventurists!
Here is me tonight!!!! Chill factor was minus 5.
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