Weather folks are saying this is the coldest January the US has seen in years. The temperatures have me wanting to stick close by the woodstove and warm.
Yesterday morning it was 11 degrees at about 9 am. That was cold enough for Granny to want to postpone her blood check scheduled for later in the day.
Our recent snow was on it’s way out after the warmer temperatures over the weekend and the rain that accompanied them. But Sunday night we got another skiff of snow that covered the bare places. The cold air that filtered in along with the flurries froze everything into a solid sheet of ice. Especially slick are the areas where we walked and packed down the first snow that never completely melted.
Places farther south than us are forecasted to get snow today through tomorrow. I know folks in places where it rarely ever snows are excited—well the ones that love snow like I do are excited the others maybe not so much.
The cold weather has people using old phrases to describe just how cold it is. One of my friends told me yesterday “We only got a skiff also, but it’s cold as kraut up here on the mountain.”
Here’s some other old sayings about cold weather.
- Cold as whiz
- Cold as a well diggers butt
- Blue cold
- Too cold to snow
- Too cold to write your name in the snow (This is The Deer Hunter’s favorite.)
- Cold enough to freeze the nuts off a steel bridge
- Cold as a Mother-n-law’s heart (Not mine.)
- Cold as “gouge” (I don’t know what this one means but it’s from Clay County NC. A blind pig reader left it in a comment, their Mother said it.)
- Cold as all get out
- Cold enough for a three dog night
- Too cold to stick your tongue to a flag pole
- Too cold to let the chickens out
- Colder than a witch’s broom handle (My cousin shared this one. His daddy said it and he grew up not far from here.)
- Cold as a wedge
- Cold as ice
- Cold enough to make a laurel leaf roll up tight
- So cold hell froze over
- It’s ooshie
- Cold as a blue whizzy (from AW Griff)
One year we were at the annual Pressley family Christmas gathering and it was really cold. As folks left that night everyone was dreading going out into the frigid temperatures. Uncle Sam humorously said “Why it ain’t cold. I’d like to be on the top of Hyder Mountain with a wedge in each hand wearing a wet sheet.” 🙂
Tipper
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Here in Lake Charles, Louisiana they officially reported over 5 inches of snow although some people reported more. my sister got between 6.5″-7″ and my brother got 8″. I don’t know how much I got since I live in an apartment complex, but I loved it just the same. couldn’t stop looking out the window.
Hello Tipper and family,
We live in Destin, Fl about a half mile from the beach. It’s been really snowing since around 1 o’clock today! It’s 9:59 PM central time and it’s still coming down.
It’s 27 right now with a “feels like” 15 degrees. Winds are 14 mph out of the north and gusting to 22 mph. It’s supposed to have stopped snowing by 6 AM. Then full sun with a high today of 40.
Blessings to you all! Stay warm..
Susie S
Susie-that is so exciting 🙂
I definitely have heard “Cold as a well diggers butt!”
Hello everyone. 12 degrees tomorrow morning. Yesterday morning was 11. Today made it to 21 degrees. I’ve had enough of winter. My heating and AC are acting up, since August (heater and AC run together). Thank goodness for wood stoves. Tipper, like usual you made me think. I grew up hearing Dog Days for hot weather, But not 3 dog night. The only time I heard it was THREE DOG NIGHT! My favorite band in Jr. High school. I think I just aged myself. I need more hot chocolate. Anna from Arkansas.
A three dog night is when you have to get three of your dogs in bed with you to keep you warm.
I am in Southeast Alabama( some of us call this area L.A. Lower Alabama that is). For the past few hours it has been snowing. A very rare event. 2010 was the last time we got a lot of snow. They keep saying we could get 6 to 8 inches of this stuff. I wish this was in your part of N.C. Tipper.
Reckon all this cold is gonna be good for our gardens come Spring?
It was so dang cold here this morning, I got a coffee cup out of my kitchen cabinet, and it felt like I got it from the freezer—even though our house was warm. My son sent me a photo of his dashboard on his way to work and it showed the temp as -16. We still have close to two feet of snow on the ground—it’s not melting anytime soon. It’s up to 12 this afternoon with a feel-like temp of 3. I love winter, but I feel so sorry and worried for anyone who doesn’t have a warm place to sleep. I pray that God will protect them.
Cold as a wedge and cold as a gouge could be the same thing. I picture them both as a tool but don’t know how it relates to extreme cold.
Cold as a banker’s heart.
Whew, I don’t believe I’d want to be on top of Hyder mtn today in a wet sheet lol. Long before I ever heard of any “polar plunges” I remember a couple of friends from high school who would go up to Sunburst in the middle of the winter and jump off the bridge into the river. Years later when I met my husband he decided to do the same thing on his birthday in February. Anybody that’s been up Sunburst knows that water is brrrr COLD, even on the hottest summer day. That saying “If you’re gonna be dumb you gotta be tough”…so true! They’re some real tough ones lol. They say it’s invigorating and good for your health but I’ll have to take their word on that while I’m sitting here by the woodstove stoking the fire 🙂
Praying for all in your beautiful area of the US. We live on the KS NE line and this winter has been a milder one for us so far. It’s been cold, but not unusually so. The first year we lived here, 2021, most of the first two weeks of Feb. was below 0. It got down to -20s twice. It was a rough winter. This one has been more normal. I wonder why it’s so cold for Appalachia and so mild here this year. Maybe a weather cycle?
Keeping everyone there lifted up in prayer ❤️ Meg
It’s not that it is so cold here in Appalachia, but that it has lingered so long. Normally it’s three or four days of cold and then a warm up for a few. It goes in cycles like that throughout the winter. This cold spell in January, for this long, is unusual.
My mother told me about nearly freezing to death as a young girl during a trip by mule wagon from Salem to Walhalla (SC) with her mother. Mom said neither of them had adequate clothing, only light coats and cotton stockings. Mom said she got so cold she stopped shivvering and was so numb she was beginning to give up. Classic hypothermia! Grandma was aware of the situation but had no recourse but to press on. Mom said they finally stopped at a stranger’s house and were warmly welcomed–pun intended. After recovering, they completed the trip. I don’t know the purpose of that trip. If Mom told me, I don’t remember it. It must have been important.
I’ve heard most of the old sayings and they describe how I feel about the cold weather this January. The only time I’ve been warm for two weeks is when I sit under the electric throw or go to bed with my electric blanket turned on. EMF is not a worry when you’re cold!
We haven’t had a January this cold in Richmond, Virginia, since 2018. I was still teaching and traveling between schools. One of the schools was campus-style. I dressed like an Eskimo. I’m retired now, so I don’t have to go out unless it’s necessary.
I remember that January. I live in Northern VA. I had to have a sleep test and stayed overnight. Boy, they booted us out at 6A.M.
Didnt think my car would start. It was bitter cold.
My prayers are with those who are still in the after effects of Helene – with little or no adequate way to stay warm – for those displaced from the fires – for the parents trying to shelter, feed and adequately clothe their ‘littles’ who don’t understand this new life they have suddenly been thrust into – the stress for parents trying to protect them through these challenging times.
Let’s not forget “Colder than a well diggers toes!”
Several of those sayings are familiar to me. Yes, this winter has had more hours of 20°F and below than any other winter in the 41 years we’ve lived in North- central Georgia. The leaves of our Piedmont rhododendron are the most tightly curled I have ever seen them. Rhododendron does not get noticeably curled until around 20°F. When it curls – beware. It concerns me because I think people in the SE US may underestimate the risks of being outdoors in this kind of weather. When it begins to be dangerous depends on how well – or not – one is prepared. And an effect of enough stress is confused thinking. I’m not saying don’t go out, but just be confident your understanding of risk is a sound one. And leave room for “what if” thoughts; what if you fall, what if it takes longer, what if you need help. As has been said here, right now is a good time to be grateful for the warm, especially if such times are few and far between.
my heart breaks for the victims of Helene, the suffering they are dealing with only God can soothe. Here in Oklahoma we just had several days in a row with temps in the 20s but after two days of 30 degree weather we are now going through about five days of weather in or below the teens—what this means for me is having to drip water faucets round the clock, actually it has to do more than drip or trickle because even that will freeze up so my faucets are constantly on but the good part of that is the apartment complex I live in pays the water bill–whew, thank you Lord. Spring weather is just around the corner and time to get some of your seeds started
My garage was 33 degrees when I backed out this morning at 0430 according to my car. By the time I got to work which is only 7 mins. away the car temp. was minus 1. It currently is negative 4 degrees. I always keep a blanket in my car to wrap around my legs. Stay warm everyone and drink lots of tea and hot cocoa.
Paula, I have a problem, the only tea many of us native southerners drink is sweet ice tea! I have dranked 4 cups of plain and simple Maxwell House coffee today, that is 3 cups more than usual. Starbucks would soon go out of business if they depended on me. I don’t drink cold or flavored coffee. If I want cold and flavorful, I buy a milkshake. I can handle the hot chocolate, it is not called cocoa by me. I hope you know I mean this comment in a teasing way. Right now 26 degrees in Greenville County, SC, this is almost unheard of at this time of day.
I told my mom I think this one of the coldest Januarys Texas has had. We even got snow flurries for about an hour last night.
My MawMaw used two of those phrases “cold as all get out” and “cold as kraut”. When looking at our family tree, some of her relatives were in South Carolina, so I wonder if those phrases were brought to my MawMaw’s immediate family and have been used since.
Glad ya’ll are keeping warm by the woodstove. 🙂 God bless!
It’s cold enough for your spit to freeze before it hits the ground.
It’s so cold at my house the snowmen are knocking on the door wanting to come in and warm up!
Tipper and family. I feel like I know you personally. Your family reminds me of ours. Being raised in the Mts of SW Pa. My Mt man passed away leaving me in the Boonies, a half-mile of self-maintained dirt/gravel road. Our so-called main roads are two-lane highways.
one of my hubbys slangs amung many , was” packin in the grub”. I love hearing your Southern accent, which is what got my attention on YouTube. I love not only your cooking but love hearing about your life with a precious family. Peace and blessings to you all. Youse or Yinz is one of our Pa slangs.
Sally-thank you! I’m so sorry you lost your mountain man.
It was 3 degrees here yesterday morning and I don’t mind telling y’all that when I went outside to feed, I could tell right where my underwear stopped.
Well it’s 43 as I write this which believe me is cold for southern California. Stay warm everyone!
I had to go somewhere early yesterday morning. While driving I saw a pack of beagles with jumper cables trying to jump start a rabbit and buzzards with a hacksaw trying to cut meat off of a frozen deer on the shoulder of the road. As Jim Casada would say, I might be embellishing the truth just a tad. So cold this morning, my hot coffee froze while pouring it in my cup, maybe I can sell it to Starbucks.
Do you know the definition of an ER nurse? Usually the first person you see after saying “Hey y’all, watch this!” I have also heard these words are often the last words of a redneck. I am southern to the bone so it is ok for me to say that!
I heard my cousin in Georgia say “ it’s so cold the chickens are lined up waitin to go in the oven” I thought you would enjoy
I always want at least once a year to have a good snow then we can move into spring and think about spring and gardening sweet song birds warm sun on our faces blue skies… oh yes! Anticipation is the best but God has wanted a season of rest for us
I like “Cold as Ice” by the classic rock group Foreigner. It’s a great song.
Having lived in Russia for five years, back in the 1990s, these recent cool snaps remind me of warm winter days there. Last January, however, we had eight days of winter that were similar to the same winter days in Moscow, Russia. My article, “Eight Days of Winter (1/15-22/2024): Knox County, TN, & Moscow, Russia (published 1-23-2024; article #452), compares the lows and highs at the house, here in northeast Tennessee, to Moscow. The eight or nine inches of snow that we had restricted travel.
I loved Uncle Sam’s comment! Hilarious!
Jack Cristil, legendary Mississippi State sportscaster, said “colder than a pawn broker’s heart”.
It sure is cold as all get out here! It’s been 4 when I wake up the last couple mornings with a midday high around 13. I have to keep going out and thawing the chickens water, it just freezes solid! As long as it’s not snowing they will come out of the coop though. Soon as they see a tiny flake they all going running inside. There’s a beautiful fox pair that has made a home somewhere nearby and we read that they usually have babies this time of year and start hunting all through the day. Well I just happened to be walking past the kitchen door and looked out yesterday and saw the most beautiful red fox trotting along and it stopped and just stared at my chickens in their run. I opened up the back door and called “Don’t even think about it!” and it ran off to find a meal somewhere else. I can’t help but love seeing them even if I know they want to eat my girls out there 😀 Hope you and the family stay warm and that the boys enjoy their first snow!
We always say colder than a by-golly!
I woke up at 7 AM and it’s 2 degrees out! Heavens to Betsey I don’t think it’s been this cold in years up here in Massachusetts. We’re supposed to warm up on Thursday. When I say warm up, that means 30 degrees which to me is still dang cold! Everybody stay warm. Lots of love.
yes it is very cold, today is my second day below freezing, please pray that the pipes don’t freeze and bust, I pray that everybody is safe well and warm in Jesus mighty name
I am very excited we might have snow on the coast of S.C. even if it’s just a skiff! It is so beautiful! I have enjoyed your snow videos very much and am amazed it has stayed on the ground so long. Enjoy the warrior the wood stove. We are using our wood fireplace although it doesn’t heat the whole house the way a wood stove can. Still it’s wonderful to sit by and helps our heat pump which struggles with below freezing temperatures.
My Dad used to say “ cold as all get out” and “hot as all get out”. I never understood the exact meaning but the phrase brings fond memories of him. Thanks for all you do. God bless you!
G’day Tipper,
There is a saying from the Lord Nelson days. “Cold enough to freeze the balls off a Brass Monkey”. The English gentry were appalled. But, a Brass Monkey was the brass plate that held the iron cannon balls. If it got too cold, the cannon balls could roll away from the brass plates.
I’ve heard that one before, but not from my parents! LOL! Like you, I later learned the origin.
I used to work with a gentleman that said in the fall it is a “two shirt day”. In the winter he would add another shirt, “a three-shirt day”. We live in Columbia, SC, so I do not remember a four-shirt day!
John, nothing to do with Columbia and cold but with Columbia and the summer time heat. Remember when Lou Holtz was the football coach at USC and him saying something along the line of Columbia sitting on top of hell because of being so hot during the summer?
I have heard many of these sayings, and two about certain body parts of a brass monkey and a witch in a brass bra. It has been many years since I remember it being this cold continuously for this many days. I read yesterday that the national weather service has came up with new terms for wind chills and some other cold weather. I think the terms mentioned above cover it pretty well for common folks. When I was young, I didn’t think much about it being cold like this, but now I realize just how dangerous it can be especially for us older folks and the ones with health problems. I wrote a few days ago about the coldest I have ever been in my life while trying to duck hunt, it was in January 1970 during cold weather like we are having now. I was close to freezing to death. Hopefully by Sunday the weather will be more normal, but I don’t know for how long. I haven’t had any luck finding an Armstrong heater, I wrote about at Christmas, so I am using a blanket and electric heater. I worry about my home but am also thinking of the ones still suffering from Helene’s damage.
Ive heard several of those and also the following: Bone cold or froze to the bone
Biting cold
So cold my nose is gonna fall off
I have also heard ‘colder’n witches teets in a brass bra’ all my life. I have no idea where that one comes from.
So much fun to hear other’s phrases. We say so many phrases we forget them until someone else mentions it and we’re like ‘oh yeah, we say that all the time too’. Lol
It was -8 yesterday morning and the windchill is stinging cold. It’s supposed to be colder this morning and tomorrow morning and then we warm to 30 over the weekend. Some places are solid sheets of ice. Ice scares me as I’m afraid of someone falling and getting really hurt.
Everyone be careful and stay warm. God bless all y’all!!