Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Cold

I live in southern California. We have a Mediterranean climate which means that we have very mild winters. If you've ever tuned in to the Rose Parade on New Year's Day (sadly, 2021's has been cancelled) and noticed the sunny day, yeah, that's pretty standard winter weather for us.

November isn't necessarily all that cold. On November 1st, I was still wearing my Capri-length pants and sandals to work. But the weekend before last, the weather took a turn towards winter.

The weekend was cold and rainy. Friday and Sunday we had gusting winds. It rained Saturday. 

The forecast for Monday the 16th was for a high of 85ish degrees (30ish degrees C). (My home city was more of an 82°, but the city the school is in was at 86°. I live closer to the ocean. Where I work is more inland. There's a temperature differential.) Spoiler: we actually got up to a high of 91°F (33°C).

Expecting warmer temperatures, I dressed for work in cooler clothes: Capri-length pants and sandals. Since we're doing school virtually, the kiddos don't notice. 

I arrived at school. The classroom temp was 61°F (16°C). I wasn't feeling cold, and I knew the outside temp would go up quickly, so I did not turn on the heat. 

Normally, I might have some temperature complaints, but I'd ignore them as the students would warm the room quickly enough. But as the students are at home, they weren't going to notice. 

A funny thing happened as the day progressed. The classroom didn't get any warmer. When I left to use the restroom, I was surprised at how much warmer it was outside. Upon returning to the room, I found the temp to be 63°F (17°C). 

By the time I left for the day, it was 9°1F (33°C) outside. Inside, it hadn't reached 70°F (21°C). 

I've complained in the past at how uninsulated the classrooms are. Turns out, I was wrong. The rooms can hold the temp pretty well. It's the mass of student bodies that heats things up.

20 comments:

  1. This was so interesting for reading. Next time wear something warmer.

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  2. You weather sounds very similar to ours here in Florida.

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  3. When it's that kind of cold inside, that's chilling to the bone. Of course, we do keep our heater set around 66-67 during the day and 62-63 at night. But that's what I have a space heater for.

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  4. Sixty degrees. You're lucky you survived the chill.

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  5. We lived in Pasadena from 1962-1965. I made a big mistake in giving away my winter coat before we came west from Ohio. I had pictured palm trees perpetually swaying in warm breezes.
    It's not that I needed that coat every day, but some times it could get really cold.

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    Replies
    1. Very true, it can. I do own a heavy coat. I only wear it once or twice a year.

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  6. Never would have dreamed of how much we heat up our buildings with our own heat. Funny how we adapt to heat, too. I lived in Florida for two years. The first winter, I thought it was so funny that the residents wore winter coats and hats when it was in the 50's. The second winter, I had to buy a winter coat and hat.

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    1. When it's usually in the 70s, the 50s are cold.

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  7. Our night to day temps are currently varying by about 22'c (71'F), so even though the nights are about 12 to 14'c (53-57'F) it feels quite cool!

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  8. That's interesting about the temperature in the room. Do they set the temperatures at a central location for all the schools? One of the churches we went to in the San Diego area met at a local high school. The temperatures on the weekends were adjusted to accommodate no students so it was challenging in the hot weather (stuffy) or in the cooler temperature a bit chilly. Think your schools are doing the same?

    betty

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  9. We have had some cold days but the warmer ones are taking over. I was in shorts today. Calling for chance of snow on Monday. Crazy here as always.

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    1. We've cooled off now, but that doesn't mean it won't warm up a bit in December or January or February.

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  10. Living in S.CA, I am with you on the temps. My hope someday is that I can wear warm pjs.
    Those portables are insulated well, and student bring heat with them.

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    1. It's been pretty chilly at night lately. But then again, I don't own any truly warm pjs.

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  11. Being up the Canada border I would that a heat wave.
    Stay Safe and Coffee is on

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  12. Still hot to me. Sorry but we had a little snow although it is gone now. It is balmy today with a high of 10C. which is 50F! That is actually too warm for this time of year. It will go down to 6C as a high for tomorrow which is almost 43F.

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    1. 10C is a low, not a high. 6C is a low, not a high. We get down to those lows, mostly at night. We really don't have days with highs of 10C. Maybe a couple days of 55F (what is that, 12C?), but not usually.

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    2. hahaaa...what would you think when we get a high of -25C?

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