Our unusually warm daytime temperatures in the San Francisco Bay Area will come to an end tonight with the arrival of a amorphous blob of blue Canadian slime.
You’ll feel the temperature drop a good 10 degrees Fahrenheit (or a slightly less impressive 6 degrees Celsius) and wind gusts to 40 MPH as the cold front passes by, especially near the coasts and in the mountains. Winds will be from the west to northwest as the front approaches if you’d like to try to time things for a new Strava KOM.
The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Watch for Wednesday night, with our coldest temperatures expected on Thursday morning where some areas can expect temperatures down to the low 20s F (single digits below zero Celsius). If you haven’t done so already, now’s a good time to dig out your hats and full finger gloves. Some kind of wind blocking jacket, pants and shoes or socks are a good idea, too, especially if you have a longer ride.
A cool trick I learned when I lived and biked in icebiking country: ice cream sandwiches do not melt in sub-freezing weather, and it really freaks people out when you show up at the office enjoying a frozen confectionary as you haul your bike in from the cold.
I used to live and commute in Maine were cold weather did not warrant a news story – some other tips for really cold weather cycling:
Put your water bottle in the cage upside down, otherwise ice forms in the top and you can’t drink.
Wear wool socks.
Don’t try to turn when going over a patch of ice – just go straight!
If you have a U-lock with a key, install it with the keyhole pointing down, so ice doesn’t form inside the lock.
I’ve been away from cold weather so long that I’ve forgotten how quickly water bottle spouts can freeze up while cycling. Ditto for hydration pack tubes — blow them clear after use or the will freeze up.
While I have fancy gel fingerless gloves, my “cool” weather ones are rather simple and I’ve been very happy with them: http://shop.pearlizumi.com/product.php?product_id=1792675
They’re good bay area gloves, not super bulky/ice ready, but they do a good job of keeping things comfy on cold mornings/evenings.
Weather Underground reports lows of 40F in SF (and 35F in Santa Cruz) on Wednesday night, not 20F. Still, with highs of 50F for the next week, it’s going to be a lot chillier around here!
22F when I woke up!