Baby it's cold outside

No Meece we aren't making fun of you, we're translating your rain amounts to potential snow amounts!  The default conversion is 1 inch of rain = 3 inches of snow.  Of course, dry powdery snow has more snow per rain inch, and heavy wet snow can be nearly one to one, but who wants to let facts interfere with our fun? 

Let's see, 0.06 inch of rain would give me 0.18 inch of snow.  Barely a dusting.  It's sunny right now, but we're supposed to get 1-2 inches later today.  For Meece that would be 0.33 to 0.66 inches of rain!  

suzwes - awwww your DGD is so cute in her cold winter gear.  She does look a little perplexed -maybe she is wondering how she will walk in all that bulky clothing.  What do people do about taking babies out in that sort of weather? 

Over here most of the North Island has had rain or heavy drizzle for 3 days now and no let up for another few days it seems - hoping it will be fine by Christmas.  Two of our neighbouring regions had been declared in drought and things were pretty dry for us too - think that will be lifted after this rain.  Still quite warm though as the weather is from the North or North East.

Finished work for the year yesterday - wohoo - holidays!!!  School goes back Feb 3 I think.

Joni - I work in a primary school (children aged 5-13 y/o) and this is our long summer holiday which is why it will be a bit strange to you.  We have 4 x 10 week terms starting early Feb and we have just finished for the summer holidays.  We have two weeks between each of the terms and 6 weeks now.  All of my girls will be at university next year and they don't start til 1 March and finish mid Nov.  They have two semesters with three two weeks breaks scattered through the year.  How long are your summer holidays? and your school terms or do you call them semesters at the lower levels?

Here in Maine we have a "school year" for K thu 12, starts in September usually, occasionally in late August, depending on when Labor Day falls, and ends in June.  The exact end date depends on how many snow days we have (days school is canceled due to weather).  I forget the number of days the kids have to be in school each school year.  There is a break during the holidays, usually a week or two, various holidays off.  The universities have Fall, Spring and Summer Semesters.  The Fall and Spring semesters are the primary "school year."  Fall Semester startes in August or September and runs through December, ending shortly before Christmas.  "Christmas Break" also called "Semester Break" is anywhere from just before Christmas to just after the New Year to a month long.  Spring Semester starts sometime in January and runs through May.  Primary Commencement is in May.  Summer term runs from May through August and has fewer classes offered.We also have Spring Break-- a week off in March.  My campus also has a "Winter Break" which is a week off in February. 

Currently 9 degrees outside.  Nice and brisk.  Clear at the moment.  Gotta check the weather geusser's report and see if the Nor'Easter they were getting work up about last week is actually going to materialize tomorrow as predicted.  Should be interesting.  

Hi, This is my first time in a chat room! I live in Kingsville Ontario, on Lake Erie, only 4 hours from Buffalo. The temp is about the same as yours BRRR.

It was 20 degrees this morning when I got up, there may be a slight possibility of snow on Saturday.

Sheila 

23 degrees, grey and gloomy, got that "snow is coming" smell that I love so much!  Remains to be see if we get dumped on or just another typical winter snowfall. 

I hadn't thought of mudslides with all the rain on the west coast--I hope you don't have to worry about that, Meece! 

immarybell - when I saw your picture I laughed - it just said it all.  I am in summer with temps of 75 during the day and 66 overnight and the humidity is high.  Have had rain or heavy drizzle for the last 6 days now but the skies have finally cleared today with more rain/heavy drizzle forecast for Wed, Thurs and Fri.  Fingers crossed it will clear for Christmas day.  Sorry to hear your DH is struggling after his heart attack but I love your sense of humour about whether you, he or the cat will go first - humour keeps us going I reckon. 

Meece -  heck, you need rain but did it all have to come at once???!!!! glad to hear you are home safe, hope it is short lived, doesn't cause too much damage and that your house remains safe.  We have had about 5.4 inches in the last week but we are used to around 50 inches per year so not unusual for us.

NM - has it started yet?? you sound like me - I can smell rain coming and it is such a relief when it finally hits.  Gosh, are you required to teach all three semesters?  You don't get much time off then.  NZ is small and all schools whether private or state are subject to the same school requirements, holidays etc so it seems strange to me that across USA there are different rules for different regions.  Our unis have a summer semester but it runs for only about 6 weeks from middle of Nov to just before Christmas. It is for students wanting to catch up on prerequisite courses or redoing missed papers - quite intensive I believe.  Received today an 'offer of study' email from the uni my youngest DD is going to next year so now there is only accommodation to sort out and she's all set, phew.

Five more inches of snow today...took me two and a half hours to make the 30 minute drive home.  More expected  on Thursday. Sigh!!