Hey Rath!

[notbobsmith]

Ah, OK. For us in the southern hemisphere, it's the opposite:

Summer: December, January, and February
Autumn: March, April, and May
Winter: June, July, and August
Spring: September, October, and November

Our winters (at least where I am) are obviously cold, but we rarely get below 0, and we have no snow. Does all of the US (or Canada) get snow in winter? I presume that some areas (e.g. Washington State, because it's close to the mountains) are more prone to snow than somewhere like Nevada or Arizona (desert states) - am I right?

You are correct, although even southern states can get snow/winter weather. Texas recently had problems with an ice storm that severely damaged their power grid. Frost can be a problem for Florida citrus growers. I live in Massachusetts, so we regularly get snow for the winter (not so much this season). Winters are not terribly cold. We rarely see single digits (Fahrenheit, you said it rarely gets below 0 where you are. Celsius, I assume?) We always find it amusing when more southern states like the Georgia or the Carolinas are debilitated by an inch or two of snow. Then there's the mid-western states. Because of the shape of the Jet Stream, mid-western states can have very cold, very severe winters. States that are technically south of us have much colder winters. But that is pretty much the story for the US. Massachusetts is roughly only as far north as Italy, but we do not have a Mediterranean climate. It's Canada's fault. Having a huge land mass north of us creates all this extreme weather.

On a side note, we have also have an "unofficial" summer. It goes from Memorial Day (last Monday in May) to Labor Day (first Monday in September).

[Rath Darkblade]

We rarely see single digits (Fahrenheit, you said it rarely gets below 0 where you are. Celsius, I assume?)

Ah, yes ... sorry. 0 for us (in Celsius) would be 32 Fahrenheit.

We do get 0 C in winters, and sometimes -1 or -2 C (28 or 30 F), but rarely colder than that. (Of course, I can only speak for my hometown of Melbourne, VIC. In rural areas, it can get colder on winter nights. Alpine and mountainous areas are very cold; the coldest we've had was -9.4 F. I can't imagine anything as cold as that).

How cold does it get in the US? I googled "coldest state" and wasn't surprised that it was Alaska.

Massachusetts is roughly only as far north as Italy, but we do not have a Mediterranean climate. It's Canada's fault. Having a huge land mass north of us creates all this extreme weather.

Blame Canada?

[DeadPoolX]

I should add that Texas is a big state and some areas of it normally get snow while others it's extremely rare.

I spent the first 28 years of my life in Houston and during all that time I saw it snow maybe twice and even then it almost immediately melted as soon as the snow hit the ground. Because of this, Houston and other cities like it on the Gulf coast (where it's very hot and extremely humid) aren't prepared to handle snow at all. This is why the ice storm that recently hit was so bad.

Some areas of Texas, such as the panhandle or cities that're further away from the Gulf, like Dallas, tend to get snow pretty often. So it's quite variable.

As for "how cold does it get," it depends on the specific region (an area that's further south that's also landlocked might get colder than an area further north but is near a body of water) and are you including freak occurrences or extremes or simply regular weather patterns?

It's Canada's fault. Having a huge land mass north of us creates all this extreme weather.

Blame Ontario and Quebec.

Actually, it's pretty funny, but a few areas on the west coast of Canada (such as Victoria, BC, where Maia and I am) rarely get snow and when we do, it's fairly light and doesn't last a good six months like everywhere else in Canada.

[goatmeal]

To piggyback on what DeadPoolX said, where I'm at in the South, we have road trucks to deal with icy road conditions more so than numerous snowplows for build up of snow -- we get more rain with freezing conditions.

However, because we _might_ get 1 day of snow a year that actually sticks to the ground, it doesn't make much sense to have equipment and personnel on standby for the winter months. Just let everyone go home for the day to watch the pretty snow fall during the afternoon; it will all melt in the next day or two...

However, when I moved down from the Midwest 25 years ago, I would often get asked, "How do you survive/deal with all of that snow/terrible road conditions up North?" My reply was that we couldn't just hibernate for a couple of months -- we had to keep living!

[notbobsmith]

How cold does it get in the US? I googled "coldest state" and wasn't surprised that it was Alaska.

Alaska is, of course, the coldest state. In the continental US, it's North Dakota:

The average temperature in North Dakota is 40.4°F (4.7 C). In the winter, the average temperatures are around 24°F (-4.4 C), perfect for winter activities such as snowmobiling, cross country skiing, ice skating, and ice hockey. The coldest month in North Dakota is January, where temperatures range from 2°F (-16.7 C) in the north and 17°F (-8.3 C) in the South.

By comparison, Massachusetts is #16. The average high in January is 36 F (2 C). The average low is 22 F (-5 C).

We do get 0 C in winters, and sometimes -1 or -2 C (28 or 30 F), but rarely colder than that. (Of course, I can only speak for my hometown of Melbourne, VIC. In rural areas, it can get colder on winter nights. Alpine and mountainous areas are very cold; the coldest we've had was -9.4 F. I can't imagine anything as cold as that).

The coldest recorded temperature in Fargo, North Dakota (population ~125k) was -39 F (-39 C) in 1996. Pretty much every year they see a day that in the -20s or -30s. Massachusetts also recorded a -40 F day in 1984, but we rarely get into the single digits, and far less into the negatives.

[DeadPoolX]

However, when I moved down from the Midwest 25 years ago, I would often get asked, "How do you survive/deal with all of that snow/terrible road conditions up North?" My reply was that we couldn't just hibernate for a couple of months -- we had to keep living!

I had a slightly similar situation when I moved from Houston, TX to Canada.

In Houston, air conditioning isn't just a nice thing to have, it's absolutely necessary. There are events every year to get AC units to poor areas because a lack of AC means death. I'm not being hyperbolic here. Weather that's easily 100 F (38 C) with 100% humidity can and will kill.

So when I got to Canada (specifically Vancouver and later Victoria, both in British Columbia), I nearly panicked when I found out that most apartments/condos don't have AC. It didn't occur to me that AC was considered generally unnecessary since it rarely gets very hot, except for about one week in the summer. Otherwise, you can usually do enough with fans and opening the windows.

But that was unheard of for me. Opening the windows sounded insane. I grew up always keeping the windows shut because you wanted to keep as much heat and humidity out of the house as possible, and opening windows meant wasting AC.

The funny thing is when Maia (my wife's the reason I moved to Canada in the first place; not that Canada is a bad place, but I doubt I would've ever considered immigrating to a different country otherwise) has come with me to Houston to visit my Dad, Maia's commented that she needs to bring two sets of clothing: outside and inside. It's because the outside is so hot and humid, but inside the AC is blasting and makes everything super cold. And this isn't just my Dad's house, this happens everywhere. In fact, there have been travel guidebooks that've noted that visitors are often shocked by the difference in temperatures between outside and inside, and that native Houstonians don't notice it at all and/or are completely immune to it.

[Rath Darkblade]

The average temperature in North Dakota is 40.4°F (4.7 C). In the winter, the average temperatures are around 24°F (-4.4 C), perfect for winter activities such as snowmobiling, cross country skiing, ice skating, and ice hockey. The coldest month in North Dakota is January, where temperatures range from 2°F (-16.7 C) in the north and 17°F (-8.3 C) in the South.

The coldest recorded temperature in Fargo, North Dakota (population ~125k) was -39 F (-39 C) in 1996. Pretty much every year they see a day that in the -20s or -30s. Massachusetts also recorded a -40 F day in 1984, but we rarely get into the single digits, and far less into the negatives.

I couldn't imagine temperatures like this. Then again, we rarely get any negatives where I live. To me, -40 F (plus wind chill) sounds like you'd become an ice-cube if you open the door (or a window).

If people must go out in weather like this, how do they keep warm? Yes, winter coats/gloves/hats/galoshes etc... but is there anything else? I was cold enough when it was 0 C here (32 F). I'd rather not even think about -40 F.

In Houston, air conditioning isn't just a nice thing to have, it's absolutely necessary. There are events every year to get AC units to poor areas because a lack of AC means death. I'm not being hyperbolic here. Weather that's easily 100 F (38 C) with 100% humidity can and will kill.

This sounds like our summer months. In Melbourne, VIC summers, temperatures can easily reach 100 F and above ... I remember one summer when temperatures reached 48 C (119 F) for two-three days, but that is unusual. Most of our summers only go between 30 and 40 C (86-104 F).

That said, our humidity is variable too. We don't have 100% humidity all the time (it varies between 20-30% and 60% or so, depending where you are).

Is that sort of weather (i.e. 100 F and 100% humidity) an all-summer-long occurrence, DPX? It sounds like a nightmare. No wonder you have to crank the AC.

Just curious, also: Texas is famous for its cowboys, and all respect to them - they worked (and still do work) very hard, driving cattle to markets. So how did they keep cool in the old days (and now?) Obviously, they couldn't/can't stay inside in front of the AC.

Then again, I'm sure there aren't that many cowboys in Houston (or any other major town). Is the weather easier to bear in rural areas?

[DeadPoolX]

NOTE: You might want to check GOG. They're having their Spring Sale right now and Pillars of Eternity: Definitive Edition is 60% off and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire - Obisidan Edition is also 60% off. Both the Definitive Edition of PoE and the Obsidian Edition of PoE2 include all the DLC (except the free DLC).

That said, our humidity is variable too. We don't have 100% humidity all the time (it varies between 20-30% and 60% or so, depending where you are).

The humidity can be somewhat variable for cities on the Gulf coast (such as Houston, Galveston, etc) too, but that doesn't mean much. By variable I am referring to rates that run from 90% to the aforementioned 100%.

Is that sort of weather (i.e. 100 F and 100% humidity) an all-summer-long occurrence, DPX? It sounds like a nightmare. No wonder you have to crank the AC.

The humidity, which is generally around 100%, is just about a constant thing throughout every season. Temperatures do change, ranging from highs of 40+ C to usual lows of around 10 C in the winter. I put "usual lows" because what happened this year was a freak occurrence and every decade or so there is a light dusting of snow, so it CAN get lower, but it doesn't usually.

Funny story about the weather: One summer while visiting my Dad, Maia decided to go for a walk around the neighborhood. My Dad lives in a very upscale area, so it's generally considered quite safe and it was the middle of the day, so she saw no reason to stay inside.

After I discovered she had gone out for a walk, I got really worried. This wasn't due to any danger per se, but because I knew she'd underestimated the oppressive heat and humidity.

When Maia came back, she was drenched in sweat. She couldn't believe how overheated and disgusting she felt. Fortunately, she didn't get heat exhaustion or heat stroke, both of which are all-too-common during Houston summers by people who spend too much time outdoors without proper hydration.

Just curious, also: Texas is famous for its cowboys, and all respect to them - they worked (and still do work) very hard, driving cattle to markets. So how did they keep cool in the old days (and now?) Obviously, they couldn't/can't stay inside in front of the AC.

For starters, I wouldn't know. Cowboys haven't really been a thing since the 19th century and seeing as how I was born in the late 1970s, I did miss that era by a large margin.

Even when cowboys were a common sight, Texas actually wasn't "known for them." Most of what we associate with the Wild West took place in states other than Texas (such as California, New Mexico, and Arizona, the latter of which showcased the famous "gunfight at the O.K Corral), although Texas did experience some of it.

Going beyond that, I don't think Houston (and east Texas in general) saw a lot of cowboys or at least, nothing compared to west and central Texas. El Paso, for instance, has far more history with cowboys.

That doesn't mean certain Houston businesses don't try to capitalize on "cowboy culture" for tourists (such as stores that specialize in boots, hats, and supposed "western wear" that's really gaudy and something a real cowboy wouldn't have ever worn), especially when the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo comes around.

I've been to the HLS&R once years ago in the early-to-mid 90s, and although seeing the animals close up was cool (a longhorn is quite impressive), the rodeo part of the event bored me to tears. Then again, I detest country music and anything really related to the "Texas stereotype" because for the most part it's completely incorrect. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop some people from playing it up for whatever reason.

Then again, I'm sure there aren't that many cowboys in Houston (or any other major town).

No, there aren't. Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if some people — including MANY ignorant Americans who apparently don't know anything beyond their own state and believe all the Hollywood stereotypes — actually believe every city in Houston looks like it might have during the 1800s, complete with dirt streets, horses, saloons, etc.

That sounds nuts, but I've actually come across Americans who believed that. Sure, some Canadians I've met have believed that too, but at least Canadians have a better excuse: Texas isn't part of their own country!

To be fair... it's not unusual for Canadians to have those same stereotypes about Alberta, which has been referred to as "the Texas of the north." Not surprisingly, there's a great deal of commerce and travel between the cities of Houston, TX and Edmonton, AB because of the oil industry.

Although not related to the business side of this at all, Maia is originally from Edmonton, and like I've said, I'm originally from Houston. Apparently that's not an unusual American/Canadian pairing, although pairings between people from Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC or New York City, NY and Toronto, ON are more common due to being geographically nearer each other.

Is the weather easier to bear in rural areas?

It really depends on the exact location. A rural area close to Houston would experience the same weather as Houston does, so I can't imagine it'd be any better or worse. The same is true for a rural area close to Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, or Amarillo.

I suppose the one difference is that Houston is the largest city in Texas (and apparently the fourth-largest city in the United States, making it the last of the four "Alpha Cities" that include New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago) and has absolutely no zoning laws or anything stopping it from constantly expanding and swallowing up land around it. This includes incorporating smaller towns and areas, so there might be fewer rural areas than other cities anyway.

[Rath Darkblade]

NOTE: You might want to check GOG. They're having their Spring Sale right now and Pillars of Eternity: Definitive Edition is 60% off and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire - Obisidan Edition is also 60% off. Both the Definitive Edition of PoE and the Obsidian Edition of PoE2 include all the DLC (except the free DLC).

Oh! Let me look at my emails ... yes, the spring sale is on for another 2 weeks. I'll pick up the first one, since it's smaller (15 GB vs 45 GB), and note how long it takes to download. Thanks for the heads-up.

The humidity can be somewhat variable for cities on the Gulf coast (such as Houston, Galveston, etc) too, but that doesn't mean much. By variable I am referring to rates that run from 90% to the aforementioned 100%.

90 to 100% humidity sounds insane. How can anyone get around during the summer? Obviously people still have to go to school/work, go shopping for necessities etc. -- but the humidity must be draining.

Funny story about the weather: One summer while visiting my Dad, Maia decided to go for a walk around the neighborhood. My Dad lives in a very upscale area, so it's generally considered quite safe and it was the middle of the day, so she saw no reason to stay inside.

After I discovered she had gone out for a walk, I got really worried. This wasn't due to any danger per se, but because I knew she'd underestimated the oppressive heat and humidity.

When Maia came back, she was drenched in sweat. She couldn't believe how overheated and disgusting she felt. Fortunately, she didn't get heat exhaustion or heat stroke, both of which are all-too-common during Houston summers by people who spend too much time outdoors without proper hydration.

Wow -- I can just imagine. A few years ago, I had an interview to go to, so I suited up. The forecast said top of 19 C (66 F) and I had to take a train, so I took an umbrella. But I neglected to check the humidity ... and it turned out to be 100%.

Needless to say, by the time I arrived, I was drenched in sweat. Not the best impression, I'm sure.

For starters, I wouldn't know. Cowboys haven't really been a thing since the 19th century and seeing as how I was born in the late 1970s, I did miss that era by a large margin.

Even when cowboys were a common sight, Texas actually wasn't "known for them." Most of what we associate with the Wild West took place in states other than Texas (such as California, New Mexico, and Arizona, the latter of which showcased the famous "gunfight at the O.K Corral), although Texas did experience some of it.

Going beyond that, I don't think Houston (and east Texas in general) saw a lot of cowboys or at least, nothing compared to west and central Texas. El Paso, for instance, has far more history with cowboys.

That doesn't mean certain Houston businesses don't try to capitalize on "cowboy culture" for tourists (such as stores that specialize in boots, hats, and supposed "western wear" that's really gaudy and something a real cowboy wouldn't have ever worn), especially when the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo comes around.

I've been to the HLS&R once years ago in the early-to-mid 90s, and although seeing the animals close up was cool (a longhorn is quite impressive), the rodeo part of the event bored me to tears. Then again, I detest country music and anything really related to the "Texas stereotype" because for the most part it's completely incorrect. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop some people from playing it up for whatever reason.

Fair enough. *nods* Maybe I just associated Texas with cowboys, because of the NFL team. Sorry about that.

By "cowboys", by the way, I refer to the thousands of men (and women) who herded cattle, repaired fences and buildings, and took care of the horses. I know there's a stereotype that cowboys were rough criminals, but I'm sure most of them weren't!

Yes, I'm sure that some business try to capitalize on "cowboy culture". I've seen at least one or two stores here in Melbourne who've done the same for our cattle drovers (i.e. selling stuff like boots, hats, chaps, whips and so on).

I wouldn't be surprised if some people — including MANY ignorant Americans who apparently don't know anything beyond their own state and believe all the Hollywood stereotypes — actually believe every city in Houston looks like it might have during the 1800s, complete with dirt streets, horses, saloons, etc.

That sounds nuts, but I've actually come across Americans who believed that. Sure, some Canadians I've met have believed that too, but at least Canadians have a better excuse: Texas isn't part of their own country!

Oh, dear lord. I suppose these are the kind of people who believe that everyone in California are "surfer dudes", everyone in Seattle behaves like Frasier Crane, etc.?

I'm sorry; I shouldn't make fun. It's just ... I've read several books about the Wild West (e.g. famous train robberies and stagecoach robberies, famous people in the Wild West era etc.), and, um ... no. I don't think Texas today would be anything like Texas in the 1880s! Sure, it's a "romantic" notion and all that -- but ...

To be fair... it's not unusual for Canadians to have those same stereotypes about Alberta, which has been referred to as "the Texas of the north." Not surprisingly, there's a great deal of commerce and travel between the cities of Houston, TX and Edmonton, AB because of the oil industry.

Although not related to the business side of this at all, Maia is originally from Edmonton, and like I've said, I'm originally from Houston. Apparently that's not an unusual American/Canadian pairing, although pairings between people from Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC or New York City, NY and Toronto, ON are more common due to being geographically nearer each other.

Right. It makes sense that Houston and Edmonton would have business links. *nod* It also makes sense that Seattle/Vancouver and NYC/Toronto pairings are more common than Houston/Edmonton.

Is the weather easier to bear in rural areas?

It really depends on the exact location. A rural area close to Houston would experience the same weather as Houston does, so I can't imagine it'd be any better or worse. The same is true for a rural area close to Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, or Amarillo.

I suppose the one difference is that Houston is the largest city in Texas (and apparently the fourth-largest city in the United States, making it the last of the four "Alpha Cities" that include New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago) and has absolutely no zoning laws or anything stopping it from constantly expanding and swallowing up land around it. This includes incorporating smaller towns and areas, so there might be fewer rural areas than other cities anyway.

Thank you for taking the trouble to go into so much detail, DPX. I've read a lot about the USA (especially its history); it's a fascinating place. I'd love to visit one day, hopefully when the COVID situation has cleared up. I'm just not sure where to go -- it seems like almost every state has some things worth seeing, and it'd be impossible to see them all.

[DeadPoolX]

90 to 100% humidity sounds insane. How can anyone get around during the summer? Obviously people still have to go to school/work, go shopping for necessities etc. -- but the humidity must be draining.

The heat and humidity makes driving a necessity. Well, that and the size of the city itself. You MUST have a car to get anywhere. Public transportation is practically non-existent, and walking is impractical and dangerous due to the city's size and weather.

Other than that... you go from one air conditioned room or vehicle to another air conditioned room or vehicle. You make sure to remain outdoors as little as possible.

Oh, dear lord. I suppose these are the kind of people who believe that everyone in California are "surfer dudes", everyone in Seattle behaves like Frasier Crane, etc.?

Stereotypes are the bread-and-butter of the lazy. On this note... Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari, once said: "People will always prefer a simple untruth to a complex truth."

Thank you for taking the trouble to go into so much detail, DPX. I've read a lot about the USA (especially its history); it's a fascinating place. I'd love to visit one day, hopefully when the COVID situation has cleared up. I'm just not sure where to go -- it seems like almost every state has some things worth seeing, and it'd be impossible to see them all.

You're welcome.

The US has a lot to offer visitors, but yeah... you'd never get to see all of it in one trip unless that vacation was an unusually long one. By then you might be homesick anyway.

Maia and I feel the same way about visiting Europe*. We'd love to visit, but even if we ignored the huge financial cost, there just wouldn't be enough time to see everything.

* For our European friends: Yes, I know Europe isn't a country, but I'm not going to list each and every nation in western, northern, and eastern Europe.

[Rath Darkblade]

Stereotypes are the bread-and-butter of the lazy. On this note... Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari, once said: "People will always prefer a simple untruth to a complex truth."

Yes. Or as Jonathan Swift put it in 1710 (and Charles Spurgeon popularized it in 1855): "A lie will make its way around the world before the truth has got its boots on."

The US has a lot to offer visitors, but yeah... you'd never get to see all of it in one trip unless that vacation was an unusually long one. By then you might be homesick anyway.

Maia and I feel the same way about visiting Europe*. We'd love to visit, but even if we ignored the huge financial cost, there just wouldn't be enough time to see everything.

* For our European friends: Yes, I know Europe isn't a country, but I'm not going to list each and every nation in western, northern, and eastern Europe.

True. A few years ago I took a two-week vacation in England (my first time there - I always wanted to go!), and even then, I only saw some places around London, Cambridge, Oxford, the Midlands, Stonehenge etc. Two weeks is not enough, but I was getting homesick near the end.

I did, however, see some things in London that tourists don't often get to see because they're not aware they exist - like Benjamin Franklin's house! Franklin was an ambassador to England before the Revolutionary War, in the 1750s and 1760s. It is the last-standing former residence of his, where he lived and worked there for sixteen years. It dates back to c. 1730, was bombed twice during WW2 but restored. Quite interesting!

*snerk* It'd probably take at least half-an-hour to name every country in Europe. Some are well-worth visiting.

[Rath Darkblade]

Huzzah! So, I finally had time to consider the GOG sale and pick up some games ... and - wonder of wonders - they all start perfectly. No blank screens here.

So, I now have four new games that I had my eye on for a while:

1. We. The Revolution
2. The Colonel's Bequest
3. Help Will Come Tomorrow
4. 80 Days

And that's why I wanted to ask a question. I tried starting "The Colonel's Bequest", but it asks me to identify a fingerprint. What's going on there? I don't think I have access to that ... do I?

[Tawmis]

Huzzah! So, I finally had time to consider the GOG sale and pick up some games ... and - wonder of wonders - they all start perfectly. No blank screens here.

So, I now have four new games that I had my eye on for a while:

1. We. The Revolution
2. The Colonel's Bequest
3. Help Will Come Tomorrow
4. 80 Days

And that's why I wanted to ask a question. I tried starting "The Colonel's Bequest", but it asks me to identify a fingerprint. What's going on there? I don't think I have access to that ... do I?

You can just guess random names... which might do no good... or....

[Rath Darkblade]

Oops! I thought it might be something like that, but it was late last night and I was tired. Sorry.

Thanks, Tawm!

[Tawmis]

Oops! I thought it might be something like that, but it was late last night and I was tired. Sorry.

Thanks, Tawm!

Hah! No need to be sorry! I was being silly with my response.

Ironically, I had the exact same issue you did - for Neverwinter Nights 2 on GOG, to do what I needed - I needed my serial #s - and I asked GoG for them - and they were like, "It's right there."

Sigh. lol