Long Cold Winter This Year

[dado potato]

We have a cooling trend. Chalk it up to reduced solar irradiance. One indication is the absence of sun-spots. The linked chart graciously provided by the Royal Observatory of Belgium shows the number of sunspots observed per month peaked in 2014 and now hover around zero.

http://www.sidc.be/silso/dayssnplot

Toronto (the Good) has a winter plan to shelter the homeless from extreme cold. Beginning December 15 prefabricated overnight shelters around the city will be able to accommodate singles, couples, families, and pets.

There will also be 11 all-day respite centers with a combined capacity of 600 persons. The respite centers will open the doors when the outdoor temperatures drop below -15C (5F) with wind-chill, or -20C (-4F) with no wind.


(Based on reporting in the Toronto Star.)

[Tybee]

i am glad Toronto is doing this. We live in a cold climate and have already had a week of snow and cold temps and it is showing signs of being a rough winter.

[Teacher Terry]

Tomorrow I am bringing a 100 scarves I made to a homeless event.

[happystuff]

Tomorrow I am bringing a 100 scarves I made to a homeless event.

Nice!!!

[Greg44]

Tomorrow I am bringing a 100 scarves I made to a homeless event.

100! i am sure they will be greatly appreciated! What a kind thing to do.

[dado potato]

I see on KARE 11 TV news that the Minneapolis fire department put up a heated tent near the homeless encampment (a dense cluster of tents) at Hiawatha and Cedar avenues. One hot meal per day is available inside. There are tables and chairs and a straw floor.

I understand from coverage in the St Paul Pioneer Press that there are year-round homeless shelters in the Twin Cities, but they are filled to capacity every night. There are different shelters for men or women, and homeless people are not permitted to bring their personal belongings inside with them for the night. So a number of tent encampments have "developed", so to speak.

The second blizzard of the season is forecast to hit the Twin Cities tonight and continue into Saturday.

[razz]

[QUOTE=dado potato;314623]We have a cooling trend. Chalk it up to reduced solar irradiance. One indication is the absence of sun-spots. The linked chart graciously provided by the Royal Observatory of Belgium shows the number of sunspots observed per month peaked in 2014 and now hover around zero.

http://www.sidc.be/silso/dayssnplot

Dado, I looked at the chart and am somewhat confused. I moved into my house in Sept/14. That winter we had massive amounts of snow that drifted everywhere and it seemed a long winter. A year later, with fewer sunspots, it was a very mild winter with little snow and frequent melting periods. Last winter was much longer with frequent snowfall and little melting. I wonder if the Great Lakes modify the weather to that extent?

[pinkytoe]

In our city, there are a sizable number of beds that go unfilled on really cold nights. It seems some homeless prefer their encampments to going to a shelter that has "rules".

[SteveinMN]

In our city, there are a sizable number of beds that go unfilled on really cold nights. It seems some homeless prefer their encampments to going to a shelter that has "rules".

About a year ago we met a homeless person who wintered through in a tent on the east side of the Twin Cities. He used a propane stove; one of his few possessions beyond the tent and some clothes and an inexpensive mobile phone. He mentioned the "rules" about possessions at the shelters (besides not being allowed to drink and not tolerating fighting, the possessions thing is a practical issue; some of the homeless here have commandeered shopping carts for their belongings and shelter staff prefer placing an additional cot or sleeping bag in the shelter rather than parking a shopping cart). He also mentioned being thrown out "permanently" from the biggest downtown shelter, for fighting (after, he said, someone used the n-word in an argument with him; the other party was thrown out, too).

After a while he met someone and sheltered in her car for several weeks. By then it was warmer. His appearances became more sporadic as the weather improved; I hope his prospects did, too. He was a really nice guy, but there was just something in him that wasn't up to settling down to a room or an apartment.

[Teacher Terry]

Ours are full every night. We have also put up a heated tent but it’s still pretty cold in there.