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Ocean, Atmosphere, Sea Ice, and Snowpack Interactions

Hi Betsy! We read some of your journals in class today- the kids loved the freezing water experiment! they want to know- how cold does it have to be for the water to freeze, or will it (when tossed in the air)?

And I want to know- what does the-20 feel like there? Remember, we were wishing for cold temps in Alaska! Is it a dry or wet cold?

I will be in on your Live event soon! Cheers, Lollie :D

Thu, 04/02/2009 - 10:27

Betsy Wilkening

Hello Students in Houston!
   I am not sure what the ambient (air) temperature needs to be for the water to freeze when we throw it up in the air.  I know that when a car is idling nearby it creates what is called an ice fog from the exhaust.  It creates very tiny crystals that hang in the air.  Since it contains the same noxious chemicals in car exhaust it makes it hard to breathe.
I have gotten quite used to temperatures around -26 degrees Celsius. I have not put my brain into Fahrenheit at all since I have been here.  (I have decided that I am going to try to keep my brain in Celsius because a Tucson day at 43 degrees C sounds much nicer than 110 F.)  When I first got here I found it hard to breathe in too deeply while outside, but that has changed.  
It was really miserable for 3 days when the winds were constant between 18 -25 mph.  The snow was blowing everywhere and I kept getting a brain freeze from the outside of my head to the inside.
It is a very dry cold here.  You cannot make a snowball because the snow is so dry.  Yesterday was the first time in 3 weeks that I have seen it snow (very small flakes).  This is an Arctic desert, so the dryness has not bothered me coming from a different type of desert.
Thanks for reading!
Betsy Wilkening