Winter in Texas
December 7, 2009
There was some talk of “snow” last week that had everyone excited. I keep gently reminding my kids that snow here is not at all what they think of as snow. There would be no skiing, no snowmen building, no igloos, no shovelling, no snow blowing, no snow plows coming along and leaving a four foot high wall of ice that you have to chip away at with a sledgehammer…Hurray! Oh sorry, I was lost in my own thoughts there for a minute.
Then Friday, it happened. SNOW. Sort of.
Some places had big snowflakes that fell, but I was downtown and there was only teeny tiny barely visible flakes in the air. My neighbor, who was born and raised in Texas, was with me. She was very excited by the “snow.”
I know this probably is nothing like what you had for snow in CT is it?
Uh, no.
What would you call this kind of light snow? A flurry?
This?
Yes
This right now?
Yes, what would you call this kind of snow?
Um, we probably wouldn’t have called it anything, except maybe AIR.
We haven’t worn any sort of winter parkas yet (will we?) and my kids are still wearing shorts most days. And on Saturday we had an outdoor barbeque party to attend. Outdoors! In December! And we fed some ducks, that is until they started chasing us and we ran away screaming, me screaming at Miles to drop the damn bread.
This is a photo of us as we made our hasty retreat. You can see Miles still has the bread clutched in his fist.
The teachers at school sent home emails about dressing appropriately for the “cold winter” weather and I wonder if the email was only sent to me. But 50 degrees? Really not that cold. 40? We break out the long pants. If it ever hits 30 they will all be sporting some winter coats a size too small.
Maybe I can knit them some wrist warmers.
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Today in Calgary it is a balmy -29C (without the windchill!) and drifting now, impassable roads….ah, the joys of snow and winter!
I am so.jealous.you.have.no.idea.
December 7th, 2009 at 1:13 pmOh, how envious I am of you as I sit here in 18 degree weather….
December 7th, 2009 at 1:25 pmI completely understand. I was pretty grinchy last Friday when it snowed in Houston. It’s hard not to roll your eyes when the entire city goes mad over some flakes that don’t really stick. I grew up in Chicago so I’m used to lake effect piles of snow.
Some of my coworkers moved their cars off of the roof of the parking garage because the ramp would “ice over and be impossible to drive down.” It’s snow people, not magma!! For the record, no one had any problems exiting the parking garage on Friday, including myself, who traversed the dangerous (not iced) ramp.
December 7th, 2009 at 1:26 pmBBQ? Ducks? Is there any real estate available in your neighborhood? (Not next door to crazy lady, of course!) Yesterday it was zero here, and the wind chill made it 12 below. Today we have a “high” of 11! If you ever start to miss your CT snow, I’ll send you some from WA!
December 7th, 2009 at 1:54 pmHa ha! Yeah, I’ve lived in Oklahoma all of my life and we get SUPER excited about the 6 inches of snow that we get once a year! Close school and everything!
December 7th, 2009 at 1:58 pmHere in Houston, my kids got the same letter from their school, along with a reminder to check the news for a possible school closure! By next “winter”, you will think that 50 degrees is cold.
December 7th, 2009 at 2:07 pmMy favorite thing I’ve heard after moving from Michigan to Florida was, one night, the temperatures were supposed to get down to around freezing, so the newscasters were telling people to leave their water running so their pipes don’t freeze. Uh, no.
December 7th, 2009 at 2:14 pmYour posts never fail to make me laugh, thank you for that.
December 7th, 2009 at 2:16 pmHAHAHAHAHA! I am a native Texan. It’s funny to see the differences in perspective. Here it’s 70 and slightly cool. at 65 you need a sweater. At 60 it’s time for a jacket. At 40 you need a hat, gloves, and mittens. At 30 they need parkas - big thick parkas that they wear once maybe twice a year.
Of course I think my oldest child must have Yankee genes in him because he’s the kid you see at the bus stop wearing shorts and a t-shirt with his jacket stuffed in his already too full backpack. He camped in the snow last year in shorts because he could.
December 7th, 2009 at 2:25 pmit’s nice, right…the weather has been pretty mild this year so far…
December 7th, 2009 at 3:43 pmWell, if you DID miss the CT snow enough, and the big yellow/white house isn’t sold yet, could you go there for a visit? It’s furnitureless, I know, but it might be nice to camp out there and have a little snow time…?
December 7th, 2009 at 4:47 pmYay - horray welcome back! Over a week seems forever in blogland…
December 7th, 2009 at 4:56 pmBreak out those knitting needles- you’ll need to start your craft blog- Lets go Crafting with Chris! Ha!
Eventually you will lose your winter blood - but this year you and the kids will look the freaks from the NE!
Enjoy it a little extra … for the group of us that are here!
December 7th, 2009 at 5:32 pmi’m so jealous…we don’t get much snow where i live, but we have a cold snap going on, it’s been about -4 all week. BRRRR. that’s celcius.
December 7th, 2009 at 5:49 pmHahahahaha, yeah, we almost had a flurry here too. I wasn’t happy about it, as I hate the white stuff in any shape or form.
Last week we were wearing shorts and flip flops this week it is freezing. Typical winter in NC. Warm one day, cold the next and snot flowing.
December 7th, 2009 at 7:00 pmWe just got hit with 39 centimetres of the stuff. I’m thinking any Texans here right now are freakin’ the heck out.
December 7th, 2009 at 7:51 pmHey, hi there you are. I was hoping the mean neighbor lady didn’t get you!
I felt exactly the same way when I moved from the middle of New York state to San Diego. They have faux winter, they wear winter clothes in 50 degree weather and spin out on the freeway whenever it rains. I used to dress my kids in ducky boots and raincoats and take them out to splash in puddles. Once or twice it did snow, it looked like, yeah, you’re right, air.
December 7th, 2009 at 7:56 pmI read this in Australia where we have spent the whole weekend swimming in the pool. Gimme some damn snow! Silly summer Christmas.
December 7th, 2009 at 8:07 pmI live in Northern Michigan and laughed over this post! Your so true about what we wear when it is 50 degrees. We say “what a nice day we are having!” and 40’s we think it is a little chilly….30’s we are wearing the inside of our thick coats and under 20 degrees we break out the winter coats. Cute of Miles with the bread! He is one sweet child!
December 7th, 2009 at 8:41 pmI lived in South Carolina for 5 years after living in Ohio. The snow “dustings” were hilarious. Churches closed. There was no bread or milk in ANY grocery store. Everyone hunkered down. NOW, we live in Iowa. And a blizzard is coming….sigh…..
December 7th, 2009 at 9:34 pmGive yourselves a few years and you’ll be as pitiful about the cold as the rest of us southerners. I remember my first year at the U of Alabama wearing my shorts when others were freezing. Now, if it’s below 80, we’re all freezing.
December 7th, 2009 at 9:40 pmYou had me until you mentioned knitting. LOL!!
December 7th, 2009 at 10:34 pmWatch out for those ducks. We had a few chase us (up here in suddenly frosty MA) a while ago and they appeared to mean business. It’s as if some meth-like bread ingredient gets them all riled up. Perhaps we should all gradually change the duck diet. You know, for the sake of the children and all that.
December 7th, 2009 at 10:44 pmI’ve been waiting for your take on Blizzard 2009. I got off at noon Friday due to the ‘air’ at the capitol. Glad you family’s enjoying Texas.
December 7th, 2009 at 10:58 pmI both enjoyed and identified with your story!
December 7th, 2009 at 11:03 pmAs someone who once transplanted from New England to the deep south, I can attest that the first few years were spent mocking the locals who made such a big fuss about a few flurries by running to the grocery store to stock up on milk, bread and other essentials like a disaster was coming. I tried to school the kids in my class about what REAL snow was like - just like you described it - when the snow plows would come through and leave snow drifts piled on the street corners that were almost as tall as the telephone poles in the center of them. We would build igloos and snow forts out of them and those piles wouldn’t completely melt away until March or April.
But then, eventually, my body changed and grew accustomed to the new climate! I’d say it takes about three years or so, and then you’re shivering right along with everyone else at 50 degrees. I am sure you’ll always know what REAL snow looks like, but be forewarned that there may come a day when you (or your kids) think you need a winter coat for 50 degrees and you’ll wonder to yourself how people can remain living in the freezing north.
So can I ask what part of TX do you live in?
I am born and raised in League City, a suburb of Houston, and we were very excited for snow.
Yes it is snow.
Dont be a snow snob.
Chris says: I am in Austin. And asking me not to be a snow snob is like asking a Texan not to be a barbeque snob.
December 7th, 2009 at 11:22 pmLOL - you’ll never lose your *thinks this is a wimpy winter* attitude. I had lived in Northern climes for years/ever, and whence in Texas never moaned at chilly (to them) weather. We held our son’s 1st bday (end of Feb) outside ~ and had some Texans whining about the cool weather - 50’s.
ENJOY!!!
I won’t be happy in winter weather until it snows enough that I can strap on my x-country ski gear!
December 8th, 2009 at 12:03 amI must admit the idea of 50F freaks me out (I’m Australian where it’s heading for a sunny 102F for the weekend and in Western Australia NEVER snows) but I remember the months I spent in a European Winter and then finding myself in London later on in shorts and a t-shirt looking at the temperature where it said 4C and it felt postively balmy. It’s amazing what the body gets used to! Actually just had conversation with a Canadian who said Aussie ex-pats flock South for the winter there cause they can’t hack the cold. I can’t say I blame them!! Brrrr…:)
December 8th, 2009 at 1:03 amLMAO! We’re in southern PA, and you’d think people here had never seen snow or cold weather before. We got a light flurry Saturday and people were running to the grocery store and driving super slow like it was blizzard conditions. I grew up where we measure the snow in feet, so even the winters here are mild.
December 8th, 2009 at 9:15 amHa!
I want YOUR snow! You can have mine in exchange ^^
Karen, who just made an appointment to put on her snow tires, blech
December 8th, 2009 at 9:22 amDon’t you mean Bar-B-Q snob? I’ve lived in Texas most of my life, and seen it spelled that way so often that the first time you poked fun at that sign I had to stare at it a full minute before I got what you were talking about.
December 8th, 2009 at 9:26 amI am so jealous!! I’m still in CT (WHY???) and we had about 2-3 inches of fluffy snow on Saturday, and more predicted for tonight. My husband would also be wearing shorts if it were 40 degrees…and yes, little flakes that don’t even hit the ground do not qualify as “snow”….
December 8th, 2009 at 10:16 amI was a snow snob.
We have been here 5.5 years (from VT). We got that dusting of snow last week and I have to say we were giddy. We are closer to Dallas so it sounds like we got a wee bit more than you.
After a while you get used to the non snow and the 1/4 of an inch of snow is amazing. LOL You will take pictures of your kids making snowmen that are mostly dried grass and mud.
Sounds like Texas is treating you well. Glad you are enjoy it.
December 8th, 2009 at 10:56 amI have not laughed so hard in days. Please continue being a snow snob or any kind of snob. You are hilarious. (Ummm, we call this “air”). ROTFLMAO!
December 8th, 2009 at 11:00 amWe moved to Southern California from New York this summer (for similar reasons. . . ) and we are having the same conversations about weather and wimpy people with their scarves and mittens when it is 50 and we are wearing light sweaters! The best is when it’s raining for longer than 3 hours and the newscaster comes on and declares it to be “Wicked Weather here in the Southland!” It sounds like you are happy in Texas. We miss New York so much, don’t you miss the East Coast just a bit? This feels like a fake Christmas to us.
December 8th, 2009 at 1:13 pmSigned, Homesick (!)
I had a good laugh while reading your post, especially because my husband’s job recently got transferred from Michigan to Texas. We go back and forth between the two states, and, yes, 50 degrees is very balmy compared to 15 degrees. We went shopping in Houston on Friday and people were wearing gloves and scarves, and kept them on the whole time they were in the store. (Yes, even the gloves!) Today we have our windows open and are going swimming (outdoors) here in Texas.
December 8th, 2009 at 1:15 pmLiked the bit about the jackets - how does that even happen? Maybe if you gather the jackets into a circle and sing them that silly song from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the jackets would all grow three sizes that day.
December 8th, 2009 at 1:50 pmI guess being excited about SNOW when you live in the southwest is a pretty big deal. Since you know, usually we are self baking in the horrible heat the other 9+ months of the year. I live in AZ. We were excited about the RAIN we got yesterday. RAIN. People were talking about the horrible driving conditions, ect. I was all like,hello people its just RAIN!!?? WTF?? Good lord. I really dont know what we would do if we got SNOW! They would probably shut everything down,not leave their homes and not drive since hello, driving in the RAIN was so terrifying.. LOL..
December 8th, 2009 at 2:09 pmIndoor recess when temperatures are below freezing. That one surprised me!
December 8th, 2009 at 3:24 pmSorry, I already commented once… but I just remembered this video my brother made. Your neighbors will be amazed! Your kids will remember real snow (and probably not miss it, this video even sounds cold). Yes, it appears he’s standing on the roof of the plow, and no I don’t know why either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alWlilgb3fQ
December 8th, 2009 at 4:00 pmWhat’s great about playing in the air-snow is you never have to head indoors because your mittens get soaked or your nose gets too cold. Genius.
December 8th, 2009 at 9:24 pmI’ve lived in TX now for 4 years and where I once thought it was warm enough for shorts when it was 50, I am now reaching for a light jacket. It is depressing. What will I do if I ever have to live in the frozen tundra again!
December 8th, 2009 at 11:12 pmAnd now you understand how it is possible for me to go all winter without wearing socks. Or pants that cover my ankles.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:04 amI think Texas is a lot like California in that regard. Anytime it dips below say 50 degrees, or if there’s some wind gusts or a few drops of moisture coming from the sky (what do they call that stuff again?), the newscasters situate themselves all over different parts of Southern California and report on STORM WATCH 2009 (or whatever year it happens to be)!
I live about 2.5 hours NE of L.A. now and we are actually due to get down to 18 tonight, and we had actual RAIN yesterday (the first in I think 6 months), and it only got into the 40’s today… so I’m imagining that the stores here are all out of bread and milk by now, too.
That being said, I would die in CT or pretty much any other part of the United States. Or, at the very least, cry every single day.
Not sure what we’d ever do if we couldn’t actually go out and ride the brand new bikes on Christmas Day, you know?!?!
December 9th, 2009 at 12:15 amWe just moved to south Texas in August (from Chicago). It got a little chilly here last week, and my preschooler wore jeans, a tshirt and a sweatshirt to school. I was amazed to see kids and parents wearing hats, winter coats, scarves and mittens.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:54 amOh yes we Texans get excited about the slighest of flakes in the air. But I will say that we got REAL SNOW (pics on my blog). Even you cannot deny it when we had enough to make a snowman. ;o) Now, it may still be a puny amount compared to how much you get in CT, but that is okay. As much as I enjoyed our snow day, it would get reeeally old after a few weeks.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:24 amHello from the tropics. It’s monsoon season here, our very wet version of winter. In the mornings, it’s 25 degrees Celsius, which is 77F to you. I have to wear a sweater out, especially when it’s raining 115 Olympic-sized pools’ worth of water. Seriously. Our meteorological service calculated that one on a particularly bad day. Let us all embrace our winters!
December 9th, 2009 at 9:49 amOh just wait. After you’ve been here for a bit longer, you’ll be cold when it’s 50 too. I give you another year, two years max. I laughed at all the Texans my first year here too.
December 9th, 2009 at 9:56 amYou will be happy to know that had you still been in NE you would now have 6 inches of snow that is tunring soppy from the rain and a pile of wet coats/snowpants/mittens/hat/scarves laid out to dry. Enjoy your warm weather!
December 9th, 2009 at 11:57 amWe are Nutmeggers transplanted to southwest FL, have been here for almost 2yrs now. We are headed back to CT for Christmas this year, and I’m pretty sure we have no clothing appropriate for real winter weather. We are going to freeze. LOL
December 9th, 2009 at 12:12 pmHaving lived in South Carolina, here’s my philosophy on weather. When it’s 80-100 the weather is perfect, when it’s over 100 it’s hot. At 70 it’s time for long sleeves, at 60 time for a jacket. When it’s below 50 it’s time for a big coat and when it’s below 50 (you know the once or twice a year) it’s time to stay inside next to a fire and not leave. If there is any mention of the possibility of snow, everything is closed down. It’s the way of the south, and welcome to our crazy world.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:28 pmtell your kids teachers about the layers of brown fat that they still have as children, and that as their mother, you will weave them some arm warmers out of all that long hair they sport! lol!
December 9th, 2009 at 9:03 pmWe moved from Houston to South Carolina last July. I was so looking forward to actual seasons and winter weather. The high here today was 76 degrees, though. And, it snowed in Houston last week. What’s up with that!?
December 9th, 2009 at 9:40 pmWe have snow flurry’s but nothing to really talk about. But hey our temp is in the single digits! With wind chills making go in the negatives.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:00 pmJust wanted to clear up that my snob comment was in jest. When I re-read it, it sounded harsh. LOL I love snow.
Chris says: No, I got it! Though now I want a t-shirt that says SNOW SNOB on the front.
December 10th, 2009 at 3:42 pmi remember MANY posts on here about snow…and your pellet heater!
Life has a weird way of doing a 180 on us at times!
December 14th, 2009 at 7:50 pmI warned you about those shorts on Christmas day. Give it a few years and you will be breaking out the parkas at 50, too.
You will also be giddy about the chance of snow because it has been so long since you have seen any.
And for the record - you should stay off the road when it snows or is icy. Not because you don’t know what you are doing, but because you don’t want to be out on the roads with all the other idiots who don’t have a clue.
Your kids will also be astonished the fist time 1/4 of an inch covers the ground and they are salting the roads and school’s out until for a couple of days due to “incliment weather.”
December 14th, 2009 at 10:56 pmOh, I just love this post! I’m a born and raised Minnesotan girl and the only way school ever would have been closed is if the Govenor called it off (which happened ONCE back in college in 98′because it was 60 below with the windchill). I have been stuck on the roads for over 2-3 hours traveling to work more times than I can count because our jack-hole boss doesn’t believe in closing down shop unless, again, our esteemed Govenor shuts the state down. And shit, we are still wearing our shorts when it’s barely above zero, playing in the snow because it’s a balmy, breezy day. I’m so jealous of your warm weather but I can’t imagine Christmas without snow. It would be like faking it, ya know?
December 20th, 2009 at 10:42 pm