-40

I know I live in the Arctic, but -40 and below is just wrong.  I tell people all the time that it really is no colder here than the Prairies, and it's true. It's just colder longer.  Normally, we receive about a week of -40 weather up here each winter, and it was much the same when I lived in Manitoba. Of course you can expect -30 weather up here for much of November through to March. 

Having experienced weather that has dipped into -50 (actual not windchill) I sort of believe that it doesn't matter what the temperature drops to once it reaches about -39.  They should just dispense with the scale after that and put "F'ing Cold!!" (note the two exclamation marks Townie). -40 is wrong because it's just hard on everything, no machine likes -40 and you can almost hear them scream as parts snap or shake off of their mounts. Although I've discovered that I can guess the rough temperature in the morning just by starting Leah's snowmobile.  If the machine pulls rather easily and starts after 3 or 4 pulls its -20. Hard to pull on the first try, and the cord stays out for 1 or 2 pulls, it takes at least 5 pulls for the first time it fires and three times starting it before it stays going its -30. At -35 it takes at least 7 pulls and the cord stays out each time until it starts. -40, back wrenching strength needed to pull the first two pulls, probably 20 pull before it sputters the first time, at least five sputtering attempts before it stays on and it will back fire at least once.  This morning the back fire was so loud, if it had been someone else starting the machine I would have hit the ground thinking someone was shooting at me.  I actually considered calling the members in case they got a call about shots fired.  It will also stop at least once after I'm safely and warmly ensconced back in the House. 

The truck? It will not start, although I'll try again tomorrow, as Leah's machine died at lunch, its now thawing out somewhere.  Of course you don't need a temperature sensitive snowmobile or even a thermometre to tell when the temperature reaches -39 or below. If it's calm, there will be ice fog. Voila. Ice fog = "F'ing Cold!!" (there's those two exclamation points again).

Environment Canada hasn't shown Arctic Bay's current conditions for the past 3 months or so, as their automated equipment isn't working. But Nanisivik's current conditions work just fine, it is usually even a little colder there due to the elevation (2200 feet).  And today's low? Without any windchill it was -41.  Well into the "F'ing Cold!!" range.  Here's the proof...  Oh yeah, note how it only takes a 4 km wind to take it down to -47.