Lately, the U.S. has suffered through some really cold weather, and some areas have seen the coldest weather ever recorded. It has been chilly in parts that don’t get chilly, and freezing in parts that don’t normally freeze. This brings me to this week’s puzzle. How much do you know about cold weather? I mean really cold weather?
Try your I.Q. out on this trivia and see how well you score!
1. What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Washington, DC? -10°F; -7°F; 0°F; -15°F.
2. What’s the difference between sleet, hail, and freezing rain?
3. True or false: It must be 32°F or colder for it to snow.
4. On average, one inch of rain is equivalent to how many inches of snow? 10 inches; 1 inch; 5 inches; a foot.
5. Which of the following impacts can Maryland and Virginia expect from a “Great Nor’easter?” Heavy snow; high winds; coastal flooding; blizzard; all of the above; none of the above.
6. True or false: When you’re exposed to cold weather, your blood vessels constrict and the flow of blood to your skin is reduced, resulting in an overall slowdown of your circulatory system and a rise in blood pressure. To reduce this pressure, the body gets rid of as much fluid as possible through urine production.
7. What does the term “horripilation” mean? A horrible snowstorm that keeps piling new snow on top of old snow; goose bumps; shivering; the gathering of threatening clouds, skies, and seas that shows the weather is going to be bad.
8. When was the coldest NFL Championship football game ever played? Dec. 31, 1967 - Lambeau Field, “The Ice Bowl,” NFL championship, Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys; Jan. 10, 1982 - Riverfront Stadium, AFC championship, Cincinnati Bengals vs. San Diego Chargers; Jan. 7, 1996 - Arrowhead Stadium, AFC playoff, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Indianapolis Colts; Jan. 4, 1981 - Cleveland Municipal Stadium, AFC playoff, Cleveland Browns vs. Oakland Raiders.
9. What city and state holds the record for the most snowfall from a single storm in the U.S.? Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; New Haven, Conn.; Mt. Shasta, Calif.; New England.
10. When was the greatest “cold wave” for the U.S. during the 20th Century? February 1976; January 1977; January 1982; February 1975.
Answers
1. After a snowstorm left a foot of snow over the city on February 8, 1899, a record cold wave struck. On February 11, the temperature dipped to -15°F in the District. It was followed by a second great storm, called “The Great Valentine’s Day Blizzard,” that dumped another 20.5 inches of snow. That year. DC saw a record 54 inches of snow. 2. 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. 3. False. It has been known to snow with temperatures in the mid 40’s. Temperatures are below 32°F up in the clouds where the snow is forming. 4. 10 inches of snow melts down to about an inch of liquid rain. 5. Nor’easters cause high winds and flooding along the coast and heavy snow and sometimes blizzard conditions inland over the Greater Metropolitan Washington area. 6. True. This phenomenon, known in medical terms as cold dieresis, explains why you may have to visit the bathroom more often when it’s cold. 7. Horripilation is the scientific name for the phenomenon commonly known as “goose bumps,” a temporary reaction of the erectores pilorum, or the tiny muscles at the base of the hair follicles covering the human body, to a stimulus such as cold, excitement, or fear. When stimulated, the nervous system sends a discharge to these muscles, causing them to contract, which in turn raises the follicles above the skin. 8. Dec. 31, 1967. The temperature was -13°F, and the wind chill was -48°F. 9. The record for the most snowfall from a single storm in the U.S. belongs to Mt. Shasta, Calif., where 189 inches fell from Feb. 13-19, 1959. 10. The greatest U.S. cold wave of the 20th century occurred during January 1977.