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Brrrrrr! It's a Cold Snap!


BoloOfEarth

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One thing to confided is that is the exception of devices specifically designed for operation in extremely cold temps, everything that we have (including our own bodies) will quickly freeze up at the temps mentioned, even if they are operating.  Normal operating temp for humans is around 70 °F (20°C).  When we reduce that by the mentioned 150°F (65.5°C), we end up at -80°F (62.2°C).  That will be low enough to challenge even the coldest regions on Earth.  Only the vehicles specifically designed for arctic expositions will be able to withstand those temps, and most people will not have them around their homes or anywhere in the city.  Outside Alaska, I wonder if there are any in in entire U.S., especially the warmer areas.  Most clothing, even cold weather clothes will not be able to properly handle those temps as well.  The more successful cold weather clothes actually rely more upon multiple layers than one powerful layer, and they only guarantee a temp down to -25°F (-31.7°C).  Arctic explorers have colder outfitting, but they still only manage to withstand the freezing temps for a max of one hour, even with the protection.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Another thing to consider is that as temperature drops, so does air pressure. I was reading on another website that for every 10 degrees the temperature falls, air pressure drops approximately 1 psi. I know it won't go to zero from this, but it could plunge pretty significantly pretty quickly. I'm not a scientist, so I don't know how low it would go.

 

With a sudden flash drop of 150 degrees, people might experience the bends or something before they freeze solid. And when the effect ends, there could be an implosion of some kind as warmer air rushes in to fill the 4 km low pressure zone.

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I happen to be moderately educated on this topic!  Cutting ambient temperature by ~60 degrees C will reduce ambient air pressure by ~1/5th if the change occurs instantly.  If it occurs over a long enough period of time in an open system, external air can enter the system and mitigate, prevent, and/or reverse the pressure drop. 

If the area suddenly warms back up when the effect is removed, a similar increase in pressure would occur as well. 

As to what these sudden changes would do to a person, I have no clue.  Very likely unpleasant though. 

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