Arctic Ocean Expedition: March-April, 2007

[RedDog]

A significant issue to keep in mind in northern climates is wind chill factor. This morning in Dawson City, Yukon it was -45c but the wind chill was approaching -60c. That's getting close to where door handles break off trucks in your hand and tires shatter like glass in the morning. The big diesel rigs are virtually never shut off in such temperatures - running day and night or the fuel will "gel". The F-18 jets at the Alert DEW Line radar station are also never shut off and are cycled in and out of Newfoundland every two days in a continual rotation. Also keep in mind that metric and imperial are equal at -40º, that is -40 is the same on either scale.

One other thing about the Environment Canada link. In the 5-Day weather on the left your choices go beyond centres shown. Clicking within a provincial or territory boundary on the map brings up dozens of refined choices as to location. I understand you'll be in Canmore, AB one night. A day or two before arriving you can click inside the Alberta map and refine your search to "Canmore" to assess the camping or driving conditions immediately prior to arrival.

Best of luck.

PS: The Alberta Motor Association website has access to scores of live action highway webcams in Alberta. You can actually see what lies ahead.

http://www.ama.ab.ca/cps/rde/xchg/ama/web/everything_auto_AMA-Road-Reports.htm

 

[toyrunner95]

have u thought about a fule heater or anything like that? i hate to tell you but sleeping in a tent is looking rather grim. do you know the freezing point of aluminium? your ladder might freeze or your hinge on the tent. just trying to help.

 

[Colorado Ron]

So are there any road cams along the way that we can catch you on. You know, stop and wave at a certain time! I think that would be kinda cool!

 

[paulj]

do you know the freezing point of aluminium?

1220 F

 

[pwc]

LOL!!! nice Paul, and accurate.

Perhaps he meant the highly non-scientific "snaping in really cold cold point"

 

[Pskhaat]

...is wind chill factor...was approaching -60c. That's getting close to where door handles...

Why would wind chill factor affect any inanimate object that does not maintain internal temperature? (edit:..other than dissipate existing heat at a quicker rate).

 

[dlewis]

Crawling across a chain of frozen Canada lakes in 28-ton truck

Scott - An interesting article in todays Seattle Times on moving large trucks over the ice roads. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003592931_canroad280.html I have been up to Yellowknife and down the Machinzie river in the summer. I envoy your trip to the north in the winter.

 

[toyrunner95]

i was just curious because im fairly sure the hinge on the tent is either stainless or aluminium. the problem is that "frost makes the blade stick" (gladiator) if the hinge is stuck shut or open your kinda f$*%ed

if u coat it in raine-x, crisco, or even a little bit of grease to keep the moisture away from it.

 

[RedDog]

Why would wind chill factor affect any inanimate object that does not maintain internal temperature?

I appreciate your inquiry and assure you I'm no scientist. The wind at such temperatures can make striking differences and aside from people themselves, our vehicles can be next most vulnerable. Humidity comes into play as well.

We've had one nasty week here this winter, usually tolerable if you're used to it but another deal altogether if windy. I'll back the Jeep into my spot at the office in such conditions so the northwest gales aren't slamming directly into the front grill and engine components when the blockheater's not plugged in. You'll see windows frozen sold on windward sides of vehicles but rolling down normally on wayward sides.

At -35c the Jeep will start right up with winter oil but mix in a high windchill (and a few hours time) and it may not start at all if not plugged in.

The weathermen here will explain forecasts in terms like "going to minus 28 but with the windchill it'll feel like minus 45".

At any rate, the numbers tossed around for the north the past couple days are below normal. We're -9c today here but will be +10c on Saturday, about 50ºF. That's indicative of a chinook off the Rockies and such swings here are normal.

 

[toyrunner95]

i agree, the wind chill can cause a major difference. think of it this way. why does a glass condense moisture. warm on one side, cold on the other. now imagine the cold side is -60 and the warm side is -30. it wont condense moisture if its all frozen. so the only thing to do is make the moisture in the window expand untill it breaks. if i was scott i would either keep the inside of the truck warm (i.e. about 40F) and never shut it off. OR shut it off and when u drive, keep the inside of the truck at about 30F. this way the moisture wont compleatly freeze and expand to break the windshield.

im not a phyasisist. but i think thats how it works.

 

[2500Adventures]

Not sure if it has been brought up, i'm sure it ahs, but as far as fluids go, how are you planning on taking care of brakes, power steering fluids, and perhaps even those in your shocks? Are temperatures that time of year of your trip going to be low enough to factor in certain specialties for these sort of things? Just curious....thanks....looking forward to all your daily logs and experiences....

 

[Scott Brady]

We are using prototype fluids from ExxonMobil, specifically designed for the environment.

Wind chill only affects objects that can convect heat to the surface exposed to the wind. A door handle that is already cold would not care if it was -40 air temp or -70 with the wind chill.

 

[crawler#976]

Scott and Chris,

Here's your chance to phone home via 2M, and I'd be glad to facilitate a conversation between you and your wives via IRLP.


http://status.irlp.net/IRLPnodedetail.php?nodeid=1268


Node Number 1268
Node Callsign VY1RLP
Node City Whitehorse
Node Province/State YT
Node Country Canada
Node Owner/Sponsor Yukon ARA Ask a Question
Node Latitude 60.5 North
Node Longitude 135.05 West
Node Base Frequency (MHz) 146.5800
Node Offset Frequency (KHz) 0.0000
Node CTCSS (Hz)/DCS
AVRS Status U
Node Website URL http://www.yara.yk.ca
Local node date/time 07:22:30 on Mar 01 2007 PST
Current Node Status: IDLE for 0 days, 14 hours, 14 minutes, 44 seconds.
Last heard from Node: 07:14:39 on Mar 01 2007 PST


March 21, 2007
Depart- Watson Lake, Yukon Territory
Arrive- Whitehorse, Yukon Territory (Hotel)

March 22, 2007
Depart- Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
Arrive- Dawson City, Yukon Territory (Camp)

Later

Mark

 

[crawler#976]

Wow!

You guys have pretty darn good 2M coverage on the first part of your Canadian portion of the trip!

http://www.yara.ca/voicemap.html

 

[DaveInDenver]

Wind chill only affects objects that can convect heat to the surface exposed to the wind. A door handle that is already cold would not care if it was -40 air temp or -70 with the wind chill.

Everything is subject to convective cooling. Only solids internally do not have convection, but their surfaces are going to lose heat by convection. So, inanimate objects are subject to 'wind chill' to the extent that it affects their rate of cooling. A metal engine block, transmission or differential will only reach ambient temperature no matter whether or not the wind is blowing. But how fast a warm engine gets to ambient will change if there's a wind or not. Anything that creates its own internal heat will lose heat faster if the air around it is moving. Heat sink fans are a good example.

Driving in cold air affects the skin temperature of the engine and other mechanical parts. For example, it's possible that driving at high speed will cause a lube that was fluid at a lower speed to become too thick. If the lube can tolerate the actual air temperature, then your speed absolutely doesn't matter. But if the lube can't tolerate an air temperature without its own internally generated heat, then the wind speed or your driving speed will be a factor. So if your gear lube gels at -30F, it might stay fluid at -40F air temp if you don't drive at a speed that you lose heat faster than the differential creates it. Or say your motor oil has a suitably low viscosity down to -20F, your engine might be OK idling at -60F in still air, but in a stiff wind at -30F might cause the oil to thicken.