5 January 2025

This winter in Pittsburgh we’ve had yo-yo temperatures. Warm and then so cold that my tires deflate and I have to fill them again. Annoying.

This will cease to be an issue when it warms up tomorrow. By Friday our high will be near 60°F.

Meanwhile in Fairbanks, Alaska it is incredibly cold and has been for weeks.

The video points out that in this kind of cold your tires deflate — and they blowout.

Google search explains why:

Deflated tires in subzero weather significantly increase the risk of a blowout because low pressure causes tires to flex excessively, overheat, wear unevenly, and lose traction, making them prone to failure, especially when hitting potholes or bumps. Cold temperatures shrink air, reducing tire pressure by 1-2 PSI for every 10°F drop.

— Google Search result about deflating tires in the cold

Meanwhile severe cold continues in Fairbanks. On the same day we’ll have spring-like weather, Friday 9 January, the forecast for Fairbanks is a high near -26F and a low around -30F.

Brrr! I’m glad I don’t have to deal with it!

p.s. The beginning of the video mentions ice fog (photo at top), which is called “pogonip” in the Rockies. And why is the reporter on camera at night? He isn’t. The days are so short in Fairbanks right now that a normal “day” includes a lot of dusk and dawn.