Cold Snap Shaping Up to Be One of the Longest on Record
Prince George, B.C. – Numbers out of Environment Canada show the current cold snap gripping Prince George is one of the coldest ever for the month of December.
Meteorologist Ross MacDonald found the following for the top three consecutive days with daytime maximum temperatures below -15C in Prince George:
- 11 days in 1996 from Dec. 21 to Dec. 31
- 10 days in 1983 from Dec.16 to Dec. 25
- 9 days in 1955 from Dec. 13 to Dec. 21
“2008 also had a prolonged cold snap,” he says. “The trick was for one day in the streak the temperature moved up above -15 for one day. If you include that day in between the cold snap streak was 10 days long in 2008.”
As for the current cold snap, he says we had five days below -15 from Dec. 6 to Dec. 10. He says December 11 got to -14.4, breaking the streak.
But he says the forecast for the next six days is daytime maximum temperatures less than -15C.
“Adding to the five days from last week, plus the day where it moved above -15 slightly Sunday, plus the six upcoming days, it would put us at 12 days for the cold snap,” says MacDonald. “Which would be one of the longest.”
MacDonald breaks down the cold snap into two phases.
“We had the initial push of very frigid Arctic air from the Yukon and Alaska come down early last week on December 4th and 5th. The Arctic air settled in across all areas of the province with some of the coldest air being over the central Interior including Prince George,” he says.
“The Arctic air moderated slightly to a daytime maximum climbing over -15 C over this past weekend. However temperatures once again plunged today as a new infusion of Arctic air has once again pushed southward from the Yukon. This second wave of Arctic air will be with us right through the week bringing the total length of the cold snap to nearly two weeks by this coming weekend.”
Comments
Ataloss’s solar system must be working overtime to keep him warm, I mean with only 7.5 hrs of daylight and all.
His back up diesel generator is picking up the slack these days. :)
Clearly you know little to nothing about solar power systems. A solar power system designed to run an average household (excluding appliances like electric hot water, electric ranges, etc) can be fully charged on 3 to 4 hours of sunlight a day. In the cooler times of the year the solar panels are actually more efficient because they don’t heat up like they do in the summer, but in the summer they don’t have to be as efficient. Most people who run their households on solar don’t use big energy guzzling appliances but rather rely on wood heat, gas or wood powered hot water, etc. Educate yourself on personal household solar power systems before you knock anyone who uses them.
“A solar power system designed to run an average household (excluding appliances like electric hot water, electric ranges, etc)..”
-I don’t know of a lot of “average” households that exclude electric hot water heaters, electric ranges, electric washers & dryers ect..Last time I checked a woodstove cant power these appliances either..By no way im being critical of solar power but lets e realistic here..
So if one cannot run a normal household on solar why bother.
To run solar there is installation, wiring, batteries, inverter. Now don’t forget maintenance of the system. Now remember batteries will have to be replaced in 7 years or so if lucky. The panels degrade so in about 15 years, maybe less, maybe more but they will also have to be replaced. At this high latitude low output from the sun is received.
Now keep the snow, dust frost off those panels for optimum performance. People don’t generally like shoveling snow, now they also have the panels to keep clear. Hey what about days and days and days with cloud cover?
Me, I like that simple switch on the wall. Let someone else about the generation of my electricity. Also at my electrical cost of $55 a month what’s the point.
Tell us about your system? Ataloss keeps his system and what ever electric car he has a secret for some reason.
There really isn’t any point in arguing with anyone who have such closed minds when it comes to doing things other than by the way you guys do it. If you live in a city or close to grid
power, by all means, it makes sense to use the grid. But saying there is no place for an alternative form of power such as solar for ANYONE is just being small and close minded. I have a
1kw system that uses 4 260 watt solar panels, a 4kw inverter charger, a bank of 8 6 volt batteries running on a 24 volt system, outback charge controller 60 amp, and my solar panels have a
20 year guarantee to still be 80% efficient after 20 years, my batteries are high end deep cycle lead acid 340 ah solar batteries that are designed to last at least 15 years with proper
maintenance. Proper maintenance consists of topping up the cells with distilled water periodically, and having to desulphate/equalize them if needed. We use gravity fed water from our well
that runs at 25 psi and our on demand hot water tank is only using propane when the hot water faucet is turned on, 2 D batteries spark the gas so no need to have a pilot light running 24
hours a day. A 100 lb propane bottle last us over a year because all other hot water is produced from our modern wood cookstove. The cookstove is no different from yours except we have to
put wood in it maybe 3 times a day, the thermostat on it keeps it at a nice warm temp to help heat the house until we need the top or oven and we simply turn it up, like you would with
your electric stove. We have internet, telephone and all the modern conveniences of the people who live on the grid in urban areas. We will be augmenting our solar in the near future with
a small micro hydro setup for those days we are without sun, and if we end up with no hydro or sun for a few days, then I guess we will have to run the generator about 1 hour each day to
top up the batteries. So you see if really isn’t that far fetched for people to live modern lives off grid. Granted, it isn’t for everyone, just like most things in life aren’t for
everyone. You don’t have to be a tree hugger to want an off-grid lifestyle. For anyone who lives off-grid, you can do it for pennies on the dollar or you can spend thousands on a system,
it really is up to the individual depending on the level of ease and comfort they want. Our system allows us to run a fullsize 1600 sf log house with all the appliances that those in town
have, except we use wood in place of electricity when it comes to heating/cooking needs. People have been using wood for cooking and heating for thousands of years, so nothing new there.
The solar panels of today are a lot different than those 10 or 15 years ago, even 5 years ago, they need less direct sun to generate power, they don’t need the entire solar array to be in the sun to capture power, so it is a lot more efficient now. Anyone who choose to live an offgrid lifestyle doesn’t do it to save money, that is a notion only those who would never look at alternative power sources have. Also it is a false assumption that these alternate power sources require constant maintenance and upgrading, etc etc. Couldn’t be farther from the truth, systems are designed to run for years with very little maintenance and hydro systems maintenance usually consists of cleaning the intake periodically and changing out a turbine bearing every 8 to 10 years. Do some research on alternate power systems and do it with an open mind and you might be surprised what you find.
Who is being closed minded it is you that is closed to an open viewpoint. Off grid and not economically close to the grid then there is no choice but for an alternative system. But you have proved my point by showing what is involved to have a solar system and living off grid, not a simple plug and play.
It is great you have described your system, hello Ataloss you out there.
Myself I do not have the time or interest to live of grid just to live off grid. I do not see the point.
So again you have shown there is alternative to the grid but a lot of effort and continuing effort at that. That is all I was trying to show, it takes effort a lot more effort than most people would want to put into it. More complicated than just nailing a solar panel to the wall as some seem to imply.
@Bent
“1kw system that uses 4 260 watt solar panels, a 4kw inverter charger, a bank of 8 6 volt batteries running on a 24 volt system, outback charge controller 60 amp, and my solar panels have a 20 year guarantee to still be 80% efficient after 20 years, my batteries are high end deep cycle lead acid 340 ah solar batteries that are designed to last at least 15 years with proper maintenance.”
I’m curious. What’s the initial cost of such a system? I wouldn’t mind doing something similar but I’m unsure of the cost. Seems to be all over the map.
“I’m curious. What’s the initial cost of such a system? I wouldn’t mind doing something similar but I’m unsure of the cost. Seems to be all over the map.”
You would be looking at around 15k depending on any features you would want and if you can install yourself.
$350 per battery
$2300 for inverter/charger
$750 for charge controller
$700 per solar panel (I made an error, mine are actually 230 watts each)
Add 20% of that for cables, etc
That would get you a system that is adequate for the average home, labour to install not included, and you could build from there because your charger/inverter is large enough to scale up.
“”But you have proved my point by showing what is involved to have a solar system and living off grid, not a simple plug and play.
My only point was pointing out it IS viable depending on who wants to use it, clearly you don’t, that’s your choice, but no where did I read on these posts today or in the past that anyone who has chosen to go that route has said it is “plug and play” and anyone who thinks it is that simple hasn’t done any research. BUT, it also isn’t as complicated as you would like to make it out to be. My who system, generator and mounting apparatus included, can be transported in the back of a small pickup and be completely installed and running a house in about 3 hours having 2 capable people doing the work. Hardly a daunting task.
I mentioned plug and play solar panels because they are now on the market . I suggest you search plug and play solar panels . There are many different companies providing them . If memory serves they are 800 dollars for 250 kW .
That’s 250 watts not the auto fill kW .
I am curious. Remove electric stoves switching to wood for a feasible solar system – how is that better for the environment?
“I am curious. Remove electric stoves switching to wood for a feasible solar system – how is that better for the environment?”
Where in any of my posts did I say it was BETTER for the environment?
I did mention you didn’t HAVE to be a tree hugger to want to use an alternate power system.
@ataloss
There are plug and play panels as you want to call them, but they are hardly a plug and play “system”, my panels plug and play too, if I want to discount all the other components that are attached to make a complete system.
Usually I dread seeing the credit card bill after Christmas but this year it’ll be the heat bill.
So much for global warming. Of course now the global warming buzz word has changed to climate change.
Christy will be ecstatic with all the extra carbon tax the libs will collect with the recent cold weather.
Well if it wasn’t for Christies carbon tax it could of been colder.
Now with dear leaders carbon tax it will be just balmy next winter.
Dear leaders carbon tax along with power rates shooting up because of costly, inefficient wind and solar power people will have to decide between eating or heating. Ontario is a great example of a disastrous energy policy leading to very high energy costs. Other examples, England, Germany, Spain, Denmark Australia hey just anywhere governments jumped onto wind and solar.
Gee, I always thought you held Ontario out as a shining example for the rest of Canada, especially BC, because of their use of nuclear power.
Nuclear , the most expensive , dangerous , uninsurable power ever produced . Only an idiot would think it’s a good idea .
Yes before they went down the rabbit hole shutting down coal and moving into costly inefficient wind and solar. Look at how well that is working for them. Wind supplies at most 4% of Ontario’s generation, mostly less but accounts for 20% of the electricity bill and quickly rising.
Molten salt nuclear when developed has the potential of being even cheaper than hydro electric and dams not needed for flood control could potentially be removed.
Just more BS from fake news sites being promoted as truth by you . You actually haven’t a clue as to what is going on . For a little taste of really chech out the 1 billion dollars billy gates and the boys just put into financing renewables for the next twenty years . You won’t read about it in the rebel , zerohedge , or infowars where you get your fake Intel .
HUH?
You sure have picked up on the “fake news moniker”
You are an alt-right sycophant . The links you post are directly created by them and reposted as truth through sites like wattscrap etc. it’s not surprising that you no longer recognize the truth when you see it .
Very simple all you have to do is refute my posts, easy peesy, oh wait all you can do is name call.
Hey Ataloss did you know, oh wait you do know I have told you before, Anthony with WUWT has solar power and an electric car, how yours. He lives in California so with its very high electrical costs and living in the desert he can actually make a go with his solar.
Still waiting. Hey Bent described his system, your turn.
Hey why don’t you go on those fake news sites and give them what for.
With your rants against me I must be doing something right, telling the truth you cannot handle. Like I say refute my posts with facts.
Difference is Bent is not doing it to be green but out of necessity, lots of cabins and remote areas are out of necessity but still expensive to do, cheaper to plug in if you can. Solar is still as expensive as ever, even Solar City is going to build a large installation and Musk thinks he can do it for about 8 cents US a kWh – plus of course transmission and delivery. Can anyone say Site C for 100 years of green power?
Okay… so this cold air is coming down ( down ?) from the Yukon and the Arctic.
Can’t “they” do something about that ??? Why do we pay taxes for such uncomfortable service ? Surely the new super computer will have the ability to redirect that cold air and give us proper, modest temperatures !!!
Or maybe it will only service Eastern Canada… well that figures !!
V.
It’s actually a newly created pheonomenum, this large hot air vortex issuing out of what experts have narrowed down to somewhere in Manhattan, is sucking all the cold air down from the arctic. This weather anomaly is expected to last at least 4 more years unless it self implodes, which is becoming more likely on a daily basis. 😈
Ah yes, once again it is the conspiracy theorists and hoaxer believers verse the scientific community. Not much of a match-up, for those who would choose common sense. Speaking of which, which of the two following scenarios makes more sense?
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If the scenario on the right looks familiar, that because it is the same tactic the Tobacco Industry tried in the 1970’s with respect to their product causing lung cancer. The Tobacco Industry ended up losing, just like the Fossil Fuel Industry will lose as well… I think it is time to sue this industry and make them pay for the costs of climate change / global warming their carbon based products are causing.
And the charge should be ” ecological crimes against humanity ” .
How is the fossil fuel industry to blame for the glaciers that started melting a million years ago, you know, the rings on the mountains and stuff? Climate change is just a phrase for “We really have no idea what is going on” but climate change is all encompassing so it is preferred over global warming which we all know is not happening.
BH as usual you deny climate changes and what ever is happening today never happened before. You still have not shown any provable verifiable scientific proof that climate today is outside natural variability.
BH, What would you like them to pay you with after you win your lawsuit. All they own is oil and natural gas. All they can pay you with is dollars generated from the sale of oil and natural gas.
I remember in the 70s there was a much different take on global warming as well, and didn’t they warn that we were going to run out of fossil fuels?
How are we going to get through this? We better close our schools and stay indoors. Oh wait a minute, this isn’t the lower mainland.
There is a display set up about “climate change”. I think the organizers are confused, do they mean AGW, or CAGW or do they really think climate change never happened before man.
It scares me what is being taught up at the uni and high school. Is there no scientific dialog? Are students allowed to question AGW or are they ostracized if questioning. Just what information are they being fed?
The foundation of science is to question, it seems that is no longer allowed.
Students ask the hard questions do not be intimidated.
It has been established as scientific fact that gravity exists, therefore gravity is being taught to our kids / students in school. It has been established as scientific fact, more than a decade ago, that Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) exists, therefore AGW is being taught to our kids / students in school.
Just because you are in a constant state of denial, does not mean the rest of civilization has to be… time to grow up and put your big boy pants on seamutt.
Did you know there is the law of gravity and there is the theory of gravity. Now that is a fact.
Never said there was no AGW. What is being taught is not science but dogma. The so called atmospheric science dept up at the uni lacks any credibility. Can they show AGW, how much how little or if any at all. Can they show natural climate influences in relation to anthropogenick.
Has the climate in the last hundred years gone out side historic natural variability, no.
What was our climate during the Holocene maximum? Haw did Hannibal get over the alps. He couldn’t follow that same route today.
“The majority of Hannibals fighters were unaccustomed to extreme cold of the high alps being mostly from Iberia and Africa”.
“Most of the elephants died of the cold that winter and none took part in the later battles of Lake Trasimene or Carthae”.
You really shouldn’t get your history lessons from am radio weather forecaster.
Yes it was cold but also a lack of present day glaciers. Glaciers ebb and flow from a variable climate. Imagine that. Now differentiate between anthropogenic and natural?
Were you there ? Did the glaciers reach the bottom of the passes or valleys ? Anthropogenic…..sounds like you been here since the industrial revolution you tell me ? Last Friday I asked you a question that went unanswered. Are you and Ezra upset at the change to the $10 dollar bill because a woman will be on it or are you upset because she is a black woman ?
Oh, and when Hannibals army started their decent into Italy, many slipped and fell to their death. Must have been icy.
Anthropogenic, don’t know where the k came from.
Anyhow BH I am not afraid to question authority. Do not be afraid to question. The climate debate these days is all about politics, no science involved.
Oh dear leader has not justified his carbon tax, what it will accomplish except picking your pocket.
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