1. At which of the following temperatures does water spontaneously freeze?

        a. 18°F         b. 32°F         c. 0°F         d. -40°F

Answer: d. Ice always melts at 32°F, but water does not always freeze at 32°F. It must freeze onto something. However, at -40°F, water freezes spontaneously. If you poured a cup of water out of a window with the air temperature outside at -40°F, the water would freeze before it struck the ground.

2. Which of the following is not affected by wind chill?

        a. person         b. dog         c. car radiator         d. bird

Answer: c. Wind chill is the combination of wind and temperature and is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin such as that of a person or animal. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving the body temperature down. Wind chill has no effect on cars or other objects.

3.What is the difference between sleet, hail, and freezing rain?

Answer: Hail is a chunk or stone of ice dropped from a thunderstorm. Sleet is frozen rain. Freezing rain is liquid rain that freezes to a surface such as the road or a tree.

4. True or False. It must be 32° F or colder for it to snow.

Answer: False. It has been known to snow with temperatures in the mid 40s. Temperatures are below 32°F up in the clouds where the snow is forming.

5. On the average, one inch of rain is equivalent to how many inches of snow?

        a. 10 inches         b. 1 inch         c. 5 inches         d. a foot

Answer: a. 10 inches of snow melts down to about an inch of liquid rain.

6.    Can it snow from clear skies?

Answer: Yes.  Ice crystals sometimes fall from clear skies when temperatures are in the single digits or colder.

Fact: About 70 percent of winter storm-related deaths occur in automobiles. The rest are primarily due to heart attacks from over-exertions such as shoveling heavy snow or from hypothermia caused by over exposure to the cold.

When winter storms strike, stay indoors and keep warm and dry. Avoid over-exertion. Your heart is already working hard in the cold to keep your body warm.

Fact: About 50% of deaths caused by exposure to cold (hypothermia), are to people over 60 years of age. Over 75% of these deaths are to men. About 20% of the deaths occur in the home.

People over age 60 and children less than a year old are most susceptible to the cold. For these people, keep indoor temperatures above 69°F and when going outside, dress appropriately for the cold. Wear plenty of layers of clothes and a hat on your head.

And a few more chilly facts about that white stuff…

Movin’ it:

·        17 cars are needed to equal the weight of only 1 loaded snowplow  (50,000 POUNDS)

·        A typical snowplow has a 12' plow and 9' wing (an average large truck is only 8' wide)

·        Stay at least 300-500 feet behind snowplows

• 30,318 lane miles were plowed in 2001-2002 

The average snowfall in Minnesota is 58.9 inches – but if the cold and snow are getting you down, you can visit www.maui.net and enjoy the beautiful water and sun anytime!