cooling systems

Wed Nov 5 22:31:16 UTC 2003

On 5 Nov 2003, at 15:42, Eric Kuhnke wrote:

> For those who have never visited Fairbanks, there is a phenomena 
> observed at -15C and lower known as "square tire". The rubber in tires 
> of parked vehicles will become stiff and freeze into position, making 
> the vehicle impossible to move without destroying the tires.

The coldest recorded temperature in North America was -63C in Snag, 
Yukon on 3 February 1947. On the same day, in Tanacross, Alaska, -59.4C 
was recorded.

-15C is a normal daytime winter temperature in Southwestern Ontario; a 
very cold day might approach -30C. There are a fabulous number of 
places in Canada where the temperature remains below -15C for weeks and 
months at a time. I haven't been here (in Southwestern Ontario) that 
long, but I think if there was some danger that tyres would rip off my 
wheels when I drove off in the morning, someone would have tried to 
sell me something by now.

It is hard to believe that tyres used in Alaska would cease to be 
useful at only -15C. That's not even cold, really. Shirt and sandals 
weather.

Joe