Jack Frost nips at noses, Mother Nature turns semitrucks into highway toys and Old Man Winter aims to freeze the flip-flop fun — winter in Michigan doesn’t conjure up the warmest memories.
Extreme elements in the mitten state are nothing new and neither are the seasonal old wives’ tales and myths.
Research meteorologist Joseph Charney said folk wisdom passed down through generations does hold some truth.
“If it comes from years and years of experiences, they tend to have some sense of reality — things don’t last through the years if there (weren’t truth behind) these rules of thumb,” said Charney, who works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “They don’t tell you the whole story, and one of the advantages that scientific reasoning has is to try to design rules and understanding.”
From frozen fact or fiction to glacial legend or lore, we set the record straight about several common winter myths and misconceptions.
Will a tongue stick to a metal pole?
Yes. When water, which is the main component of saliva, touches something that is very cold, it will start to freeze. The connection happens much more quickly if there is more surface area and water involved, Charney said.
Could someone be killed by a falling icicle?
Yes, but conditions would have to be just right. Charney said the icicle would have to be large enough and weigh a lot to do damage.
“Most icicles are up to 5 or 6 inches — unless it fell from a great height and hit the right spot (on your head) — it won’t kill you,” he said.
What is the difference between frostbite and frostnip?
Frostbite occurs when body tissue freezes so the blood flow is restricted to that part of the body, whereas frostnip is the more common condition when an area of skin dries out and begins to crack.
Does frostbite on fingers and toes make them fall off?
No. Charney said blood flow can usually be restored to the frozen digits, but if it’s an extreme case, the frosty area of skin would start to decompose and require amputation.
Do Eskimos really have 40 words for “snow?”
No. Words in Eskimo languages are formed differently than in English, as a root word can be made into more words using multiple common suffixes. There also are multiple Eskimo languages, a fact that complicates the myth further.
What is the windchill temperature?
The windchill is the temperature that accounts for the wind and how it feels to exposed skin, Charney said. The National Weather Service calculates the number usual the actual temperature and wind speed.
Can skin freeze?
Yes. If the windchill approaches -20 degrees, exposed skin will respond and freeze.
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Why do we shiver when we are cold?
When muscles are cold, they contract to conserve heat causing the limbs to jerk and move around, Charney said.
Do polar bears eat penguins?
No. The pair don’t even share arctic space. Polar bears live near the North Pole and penguins live near the South Pole.
