How cold is too cold? Baltimore students sat in cold

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I believe the closings to be a direct result of the original article. Allegany county was scheduled for a 2 hr delay all week.

a reply to: Iamthatbish

Why? Allegheny county is up the pan handle and no where near Baltimore City schools. You sure it isn't just for the ongoing snow storm we've been experiencing all day?

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Theres no snow here. It flurried for a moment.

Also, if your predictive text adds the "H" in Allegany County you may want to check if you meant the one in PA. The Allegany county in Maryland is sans the "H". Although the trail that goes through both is spelled with the H".

The state of Maryland has one BOE that is then broken up by county. Don't forget every county has old schools / equipment etc.

a reply to: DrumsRfun

I don't know what to say. Wimps I guess. Really don't like saying that but it is kind of true. Basically if you can't run with the big dogs then stay on the porch.

I cannot believe I am agreeing with Krazysh0t, but... people, grow a freakin' heart!

First off, if anyone actually bothered to read the story, they would know the problem wasn't everywhere, but was widespread and sporadic:

Here's what the school system says happened Wednesday:

• Outdoor temperatures were typical of winter (single digits in the morning; upper 20s and lower 30s later). That continued a two-week run of chilly air, putting an extra strain on the schools' heating systems, Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises said in a Facebook Live video.
  
• Heating issues emerged as parts of boilers broke and pipes burst in some schools, she said, adding that drafts from leaky windows and generally "old conditions of our buildings" contributed.
  
• About 60 schools -- about one-third of the school system -- reported heating issues during the school day. Maintenance teams resolved many of the issues during the day, Santelises said.

Second of all, sitting in a classroom where movement is restricted is much colder than playing outside. Movement generates internal heat; take away the movement and you take away the heat.

Thirdly, many of the problems were exasperated by leaky windows and drafts, allowing single-digit air into the classrooms.

Fourthly, the human body is more capable of cooling than heating. It typically produces only 50 watts of heat, which can be increased for a short time by shivering, which uses extra energy. The body can close off blood flow to the extremities, but this can also invite frostbite. In contrast, the body can deal with heat by evaporational cooling and slowing down the metabolism (restricting movement, as would be appropriate to a classroom), and staying out of direct sunlight (again, as happens inside a classroom).

Fifthly, it isn't hard with the right clothing to handle bitter cold temperatures for a short time, a few hours. But when there's no place available to warm up in between excursions into the frigid air, it is quite a different matter. I'll bet good money everyone bragging about how cold they like it has a nice warm house to warm up in between those bouts of college hazing-style masochism.

Sixthly, buildings in warmer climates are not designed for such prolonged extreme temperatures, and people in such areas are not very well versed with living in such. Some of you crowing about wearing shorts at 0 degrees, come down here in August and we'll see how you do in triple digits... I'll be going along at full speed while your wussy butts are melting! Next heat wave, don't expect any sympathy from me.

Sevethly, only one report of 62F was mentioned. Many reports were made of temperatures around 40F and some of icicles in the classroom. That's below 32F, probably several degrees below. This kind of useless disraction is why CNN gets called "Fake News" so much.

Me? I have a standing policy: if the temperature at work falls below 50F, I go home. Period. No discussion. If you're lucky, I'll tell you why. If I'm going to freeze, I can do so huddled under an electric blanket trying to become intimate with a heater. I have Raynaud's Syndrome, and I will not lose a finger to someone else's arrogance and bluster.

Those schools need to stay closed until the weather returns to normal, and while I am disappointed the administrators didn't close them earlier, at least they closed them now.

TheRedneck

originally posted by: kurthall

originally posted by: JAGStorm
www.cnn.com...

Ok, I live in the frozen tundra so I don't have a lot of sympathy, but is 62 really considered "freezing" and
too cold to function?

The kids here would consider 62 degrees hot in the spring, they must have recess as long as it
is 8 degrees. These people would probably think that is child abuse! It was 11 degrees this morning and both my kids refused to put gloves on!
Yesterday was 13 and I heard multiple people say how it didn't feel too bad

I have lived in So Cali for 10 years, and coming from the Midwest, where it was COLD. Now that I have been out here for so long, when I have gone back to visit, its always a shock to me. I am not used to it. I mean it literally never bothered me, but now, when visiting I am taken back. I could never live back there again. I like my Sunshine, and nice mild winters.

I'm from Redondo Beach, CA. Currently in SW AZ.

Redondo Beach is now too cold for me.

It took me a full 5 years to aclimate to SW AZ.

So, if you're not used to anything that cold.

No, I would not call it whining.

a reply to: Iamthatbish

I didn't even know there was an allegeny county in PA. The only one I knew about was the one where Cumberland is located. The place I either drive through to get to festivals in West Virginia or actually go to for Delfest.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I live in Cumberland. I am very glad schools were closed today. I cancelled my own appointments because it was 3 fricking ° F this morning when it was time walk out the door.

Just no. I learned this week that extreme cold causes me migraines. I can't wait for next week when we will be back to normal cold above freezing weather!

a reply to: Iamthatbish

I learned a little trick, I used to get severe migraines with every cold front. I found out it wasn't actually the cold, but the lack of humidity. Try to get the humidity as close to 40% in your house and you may see a huge improvement. I've only had one migraine this very cold season, and I was able to nip it in the bud by upping the humidity. It has worked wonders!

originally posted by: Iamthatbish
a reply to: Krazysh0t

I live in Cumberland. I am very glad schools were closed today. I cancelled my own appointments because it was 3 fricking ° F this morning when it was time walk out the door.

I know right? It was 8 here. I usually walk my dog (who is a cocker spaniel) every day before work and he can usually handle cold weather just fine with his thick coat, but I can't put him through those temperatures.

Just no. I learned this week that extreme cold causes me migraines. I can't wait for next week when we will be back to normal cold above freezing weather!

Lol @ "normal cold above freezing weather". I heard that! Still funny though as I don't usually find myself wishing for cold weather of any sort but I am counting down the hours until Monday.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Sunday for us. We've been without water for most of the week. I have the pipes fixed (I think), but there was ice in the unbroken sections when I fixed them. Water can't flow through ice, so turning it on is just asking for them to freeze and burst again.

Once it gets above freezing Sunday, it's not supposed to get back below freezing for several days. I'll turn the water on then and cross my fingers.

There's a lot of people here in the same boat... I went to get propane filled this morning and the guy told me their business had frozen pipes too. We're simply not prepared for this... and it would likely take years to get prepared.

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

In cold weather, if it is possible, leave a tap running at a slow trickle will usually alleviate any freezing up of the pipes.

a reply to: TheRedneck

Funny story. On New Years Eve I got too wasted at the bar and during the drive home, I threw up all over my buddy's car while he was driving (brand new car too xD ), so he took it to be detailed and they told him that it was too cold for the shampoo to dry properly and he has to do it again later.

a reply to: EvidenceNibbler

I do. I laid out the pipes so one set of taps (hot and cold) will flow water through almost all of the system, and we run another set in bitter cold weather to be sure. Both were running, but sometime during the cold, the hot water stopped. No one noticed because water was still running through the cold tap. When the hot water stopped, the trunk line froze and burst. That stopped the cold water trunk from flowing and it froze and burst too.

I have both repaired (replaced, actually, they were splintered like crazy), but like I said, there's no way to get water flowing again when the other pipes are choked with ice. If I'm lucky, the rest of the system didn't burst as well; the splintering and open taps should have prevented more pressure build-up (I hope!).

I was hoping it would get warm enough Wednesday to try them, but it only got to 35. The drinking troughs outside were still frozen when the sun set, so I didn't chance it. Pipe is expensive and a pain in the butt to fix... no sense in fixing it twice for no gain.

TheRedneck

a reply to: Krazysh0t

As cold as it has been down here, I was half-expecting that story to end with the puke freezing.

I've been to PA. It gets freakin' cold in PA.

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

It probably did
Apparently they had to unbolt the seats, remove seat belts and really dive in deep to get that puke out.

I feel bad though, so I'm paying him back for the cleanup cost.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

exactly, they already receive more money than 95% of the school districts in the country and yet they can`t ,manage to maintain their facilities with that money like 95% of other school districts do with LESS money? obviously MORE money isn`t going to fix the Baltimore city school district`s problems.