h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Monday, November 24th 2003, 08.00

Cold enough for a walking stick!

Current temperature 34ºF, sky clear. Winter has arrived in Texas for the first time this season. I haven't seen the almanac for the past 24 hours, but if it's 34º now, it probably just about made freezing here in town and dipped below freezing in surrounding areas (some of which I see from the weather report are still at or just below 30º). This time yesterday it was around 72º - within two hours it had plunged to the low 50s and didn't get any higher than that.

This'll be that pattern for the next three months or so - relatively mild (upper 50s to upper 60s/low 70s) temperatures punctuated by cold fronts coming down from Canada bringing behind them very cold Arctic air and high pressure with clear skies.

I watched a program on the Kennedy assassination last night, which showed flakes of snow falling in front of the Texas book depository. I had no idea it got quite so cold in Dallas.

It was a good program, saying what I'd believed all along: there was no conspiracy and Lee Harvey Oswald really was the sole assassin. For some people, wrapping oneself in paranoia is a nice way to insulate oneself from reality.

Hi Gosho

I'm glad it gets so cold somewhere else! We had minus 6C this morning - I guess that's around 24F. It took me 10 minutes to clear the car of ice before I could drive to work. Then I was taking a pool car to a meeting and had to spend 10 minutes clearing that one as well And I'm having to get used to fleece hat, gloves, scarves etc. It only got up to plus 6C (40F?) during the day.

The trouble with UK weather is that it's anything but predicable . But at least it gives all of us Poms something to talk about!


F/b

Gosho is really the best, isn't he?
He gives us weather reports.
He warns us that there may be nuts in his threads.
He's trying to solve America's political problems, while simultaneously working for world peace (immoveable object, meet irresistible force.

I saw a Dallas Cowboys game several years ago in which
there were several inches of snow on the playing field.

* basks in the South Coast micro-climate where it is merely a bit damp and a bit grey *

Gosho... I really feel for you down there in the frosty Texan nights... Best come on up here to warm up!

Or come to Boston, where it's
a balmy 50 degrees (Fahrenheit)

9C (48.2 F) right now (0C with the windchill) here in balmy Ottawa

It's been warmer here than in Austin!

Same here - we're only down to 45F right now.

It's gotten chillier here as the night has progressed.

We're supposed to have a front blow through here tonight. Rain and then colder.

It's great to have something to look forward to.

It's already been raining here for a while and the temperature has dropped down to the low 40's... Expected to get down to freezing tonight!

So it's not just the Brits who talk about weather -


F/b

Tuesday, November 25th, 07.30

A little warmer this morning - current temperature 38ºF. Sky partly cloudy. Forecast to make the lower 60s this afternoon before another cold front comes through tomorrow, although the air behind this one isn't as cold as the air behind Sunday's front which gave us these low temps.

No precipitation yesterday. There's been some overnight snow in the Panhandle and in west Texas though.

It's around this time of the year that the urban 'heat island' effect really shows itself. Whilst areas around Austin have been below freezing the past two nights, the city itself has remained at or above freezing point. You don't have to go far before the effect fizzles out though - the airport is only a 10-15 minute drive from downtown Austin but they dipped to 30º last night.

I think Annie Proulx wrote a book about the Texas
Panhandle. Apparently, the weather is not gentle
there.

Or, Annie Proulx has a morbid imagination.

Hello Gosho

Are you turning into the h2g2 weather reporter? You'll certainly attract plenty of support and interest if the last 24 hours is anything to go by.

BTW: Perthshire, Scotland - torrential, horizontal sleet first thing; followed by driech cool day (6C); sunshine just before sunset at 4pm.




Frenchbean

Paul... Re: Annie Proulx.. All of the above.