What is the coldest that you, personally, have experienced?

[cajungal]

I just could not imagine what that feels like. It hurts just thinking about it. I don't even think we hit the teens here in about 15 years. I am glad I live in the deep south and don't have to worry about dressing in 5 layers of clothes just to step out of the house. I don't think even cars would start in that bitter cold. And I could just imagine what the people of the Titantic felt as they were freezing in water 28 degrees.

[Jim Cantore]

The coldest I can remember was 10 during the Blizzard of 03, but I'm sure I've been in lower.

And it was 10 this morning.

[Aslkahuna]

In real cold country, they have engine block heaters to keep the oil warm enough so that the engine will crank over and with the proper battery it will start. The windshield washer fluid will be frozen and the tires will be rock solid and usually out of round when you get down to -20F or colder. At Dugway, I was one of few who used my garage for the car instead of storage so I had no problems stating the car because the garage was much warmer than the outside. I got to work on time while my observer was 1 hour late and we spent the next two hours alone in the building until everyone else could get their cars started and in to work. Ironically, very hot weather is harder on batteries than very cold weather.

Survival times in water with temperatures below 32F without cold water gear is measured in minutes. Most of the those who went into the water and were not picked up were dead within 20 minutes or less the night the Titanic went down.

Steve

[Aquawind]

Ironically, very hot weather is harder on batteries than very cold weather.

Yep that was amazing to me after moving from MN and many subzero days. Asking for 2 years in this heat is pushing it and yet in MN I could go 5+ years easy. Of course jumping cars in winter is a popular thing as even the best batteries loose the cranking powere when so cold but when you got it started the battery was still good and did not need replacing.

I have driven with frozen tires a few times.. feels very Flinstone like..

There are issues with people heating up the oil in thier engine block if they don't have an official heater to thin the oil and allow it to turn over quiker.. Like using a sterno flame, electric grill starters, charcoal, hair dryers, gas torches, space heaters..with extension chords laying in the snow..

[icicle]

-4 in 1984. we had 8'' or so of sleet/snow, and it stayed on the ground for nearly 2 weeks. Thats not nearly as cold as what some of you have experienced, but dang cold for here.

[Tireman4]

The coldest ever. It was 0 in Detroit in the winter of 1994 when I was there. Yikes. It was 4 in Raleigh in 1996 and 13 in Houston in 1983. Cold.