How Heat Watch ended
It was such a boring Heat Watch this year. There was no suspense, few if any freezing days and nights of will-they-or-won't-they turn on the heat early, and certainly no drama. Part of it was our move to an apartment off the municipal heat grid, and part of it was the weather. November in our part of Beijing was so much warmer than years past that it was almost laughable when the heat in Changping was turned on several days earlier than November 15.
More after the jump
The milder November also meant that my biggest concern about the increase in our electric bill would be delayed until a colder month. I was fine with that. The weather was only just turning cold as we prepared to leave for our Christmas trip home.
The "lake" at Changping Park was freezing over at night. During the day on December 4, park employees worked to break up that ice. I wasn't sure why they were doing this, and I didn't get to ask. Their efforts were focused on the part of the pond where we ice skate in January once that is open.
That day, too, was warm enough that the kids weren't wearing winter coats yet.
Just before we left for our Christmastime trip home, the weather was at last turning to "北京冷!" lows. I was breaking out the long underwear and wool socks just for short walks to the grocery store. Back at the park, the signs that prohibit all kinds of activity on the ice reappeared.
Within a few weeks, ice skating will resume. We won't see it until after our December 20 return, but it will be a nice welcome back. Also on our return we will finally get a sense of whether, as promised, the conversion to gas in Changping means less ashy deposits on everything.
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| Brigid on November 12, wearing only a hiking jacket and a fleece sweatshirt to play outside. |
More after the jump
The milder November also meant that my biggest concern about the increase in our electric bill would be delayed until a colder month. I was fine with that. The weather was only just turning cold as we prepared to leave for our Christmas trip home.
The "lake" at Changping Park was freezing over at night. During the day on December 4, park employees worked to break up that ice. I wasn't sure why they were doing this, and I didn't get to ask. Their efforts were focused on the part of the pond where we ice skate in January once that is open.
That day, too, was warm enough that the kids weren't wearing winter coats yet.
Just before we left for our Christmastime trip home, the weather was at last turning to "北京冷!" lows. I was breaking out the long underwear and wool socks just for short walks to the grocery store. Back at the park, the signs that prohibit all kinds of activity on the ice reappeared.
Within a few weeks, ice skating will resume. We won't see it until after our December 20 return, but it will be a nice welcome back. Also on our return we will finally get a sense of whether, as promised, the conversion to gas in Changping means less ashy deposits on everything.
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