It might not qualify as extreme cold, but the weather is a little chilly for our liking.
Snow blanketed the region this week, and temperatures are not expected to rise above 40 degrees in the foreseeable future. Nighttime temperatures are expected to be below freezing for the next several evenings. That is warm compared with some parts of the country, but it can send a shiver through residents accustomed to a mild climate.
It also can serve as a call to prepare our homes for cold weather and to use caution when on the roads. The National Weather Service offers several recommendations for when the weather turns unusually cold:
- Minimize travel.
- Stay indoors during the worst part of the extreme cold.
- Keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle if you must travel.
- Check tire pressure, antifreeze levels, heater/defroster, etc.
- Learn how to shut off water valves for potential pipe bursts.
- Check on the elderly.
- Bring pets inside.
Other tips are provided for staying safe when outside and for winterizing your home. Among them: Never run a generator inside to keep warm; more than 1,000 people in the United States die each year form carbon monoxide poisoning.
Vancouver Public Works crews are deicing major streets, and Clark County Public Works crews have pretreated some roads with deicer. But side streets that have not been treated could be hazardous, especially in the evening when temperatures drop below the freezing level.
Be particularly careful on hills that remain covered with snow and could be populated with revelers on sleds. Road updates for the city of Vancouver and Clark County are available online.
The cold weather is especially difficult for our unhoused neighbors. The Columbian has published a list of warming shelters in Clark County, along with contact information. Some centers serve families, while others are limited to single men or women with children.
The good news about this week’s cold snap is that — unlike the heat wave of this past summer — it has not approached record levels. The coldest recorded temperature in Vancouver is -10 degrees in December 1919. Five months ago, Vancouver saw a record high temperature of 112 degrees, only to have the thermometer reach 115 degrees the following day.
While not historic, this week’s weather is cold enough to play havoc with the best-laid plans. Many public services have been closed or postponed — including some C-Tran routes and garbage pickup on Tuesday. Several childcare centers have been closed, and the Fort Vancouver Regional Library system has altered its hours. Check on availability before heading out the door.
Experts say the chill is the result of cold air arriving from the Canadian interior and the Gulf of Alaska. Throughout the winter, the National Weather Service predicts that temperatures will be below the seasonal average throughout Washington, while precipitation levels will be above average. Whether that results in multiple snow events remains to be seen, but this week has reminded us of the need to prepare.
While Arctic blasts are common in these parts, Clark County’s location between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascades has blessed us with mild and relatively predictable weather. According to the Koppen classification, our climate is warm-summer Mediterranean.
We look forward to the weather feeling like a summer day in Malta again.
