Dottle Weather

[BriarsAndBottles]

It’s been a really wet winter here in California. I’m an outside smoker, and while I have always had issues smoking down to the heel, I feel like I’ve been producing even more dottle in the cold wet weather. From what I know about condensation, the science seems to check out, but wanted to put it past you fine folk for discussion.

 

[OzPiper]

Sydney, Oz is a humid place if the sun ain’t shining

And since I don’t pick out which tobacco to smoke a couple of days in advance, chances are they won’t get dry enough

Tobacco prices bring what they are in Oz, dottle is an expensive waste.
Not to mention an unpleasant end to a smoke.

Meer chips or Nording Keystones are cheap.
And help greatly

 

[Doctor Chopper]

I am not sure you understand what 'cold' means. In the frozen tundra it means very low humidity, even when it is snowing or sleeting.

My point being, weather makes a huge difference in smoking a pipe. Cold air is more dense and oxygen rich. Extreme cold is low humidity. Wind will make it burn fast. Humidity will slow it down.

 

[BriarsAndBottles]

I am not sure you understand what 'cold' means. In the frozen tundra it means very low humidity, even when it is snowing or sleeting.

My point being, weather makes a huge difference in smoking a pipe. Cold air is more dense and oxygen rich. Extreme cold is low humidity. Wind will make it burn fast. Humidity will slow it down.

I have been in negative temps where it’s extremely dry. Coldest I’ve been is -15 at Breckenridge mountain. Here in the Bay Area, cloud cover and atmospheric rivers have been keeping the daily highs 10-20 degrees below average. We occasionally have dry cold days with sun, but that usually only for a few weeks late November through early January. Pipe smoked great then. It’s this crazy bomb cyclone stuff where I’m relighting like crazy. But yes I’m familiar with the word cold.

 

[BriarsAndBottles]

I am not sure you understand what 'cold' means. In the frozen tundra it means very low humidity, even when it is snowing or sleeting.

My point being, weather makes a huge difference in smoking a pipe. Cold air is more dense and oxygen rich. Extreme cold is low humidity. Wind will make it burn fast. Humidity will slow it down.

Your answer was pretty helpful though….I think I you’re affirming my thoughts?

We certainly don’t have weather like you in WI.

I guess cold is relative. It went from 118 in late September to low 30’s in November

 

[Chasing Embers]

Pack lighter to allow more oxygen into the chamber to burn off the built up moisture.

 

[bullet08]

It's been raining almost everyday for 5 - 6 days. I just don't smoke pipe in those weather. That's why I also have cigs.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Your answer was pretty helpful though….I think I you’re affirming my thoughts?

We certainly don’t have weather like you in WI.

I guess cold is relative. It went from 118 in late September to low 30’s in November

I am definitely agreeing with you.

What my 'cold' comment is referencing is that when you get a consistent temperature below 20 degrees everything becomes very dry. Cold air does not contain as much moisture. When we heat the air in our homes and car, it still is dry unless you rehumidify the air. This definitely affects the air and tobacco (and your skin). Leave tobacco out when it is below 0 degrees and it will freeze if outside, or dry into a crisp if inside. Leave the same tobacco out in a temperate (perhaps even costal) climate, it won't dry for days.

January/February in Wisconsin is a beautiful day if we get a high of 30. I get my shorts and flip-flops out.

On the other side, we also get humid days in the 80's-90's during the summer. Spring brings rain and fluctuating temperatures, moisture with snow melt and swollen rivers. Fall brings cool nights and rain again. Smoking is entirely different in each season.

I would liken the weather you are describing as more like spring here, which hopefully will come some day soon. I would go on, but I have to go out and shovel the walk.......

 

[makhorkasmoker]

I smoke in cold and high humidity too. My solution is to smoke a pipe made of more absorbent material: a cob, a clean clay, or a hardwood.

 

[yanoJL]

It’s been a really wet winter here in California. I’m an outside smoker, and while I have always had issues smoking down to the heel, I feel like I’ve been producing even more dottle in the cold wet weather. From what I know about condensation, the science seems to check out, but wanted to put it past you fine folk for discussion.

Can confirm. Also in California, and I'm noticing the same thing.

Side note: I'm a Miami native, been here for 10 years. And I've never seen it like this. It has definitely been a bizarre winter.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Here in Iowa, there are plenty of days I'd love to have the weather the Californians are complaining about.

But I can sympathize with the OP. On a humid day, matches are harder to start, it's harder to keep a bowl going, and the bottom of the tobacco gets a lot soggier, eventually making relights impossible. It's enough to make you question whether you even know what you're doing!

 

[motorjon68]

I’m no expert but I’ll use a pipe cleaner if I hear a gurgle when I’m sipping.

 

[Servant King]

In my part of CA (pretty much the divide between Southern and Central), here in the mountains it's pretty low humidity most of the year, save for summer (monsoons don't only bring rain). I'm also exclusively an outdoor smoker, and I too notice the same thing the OP does. Seems to have more to do with relative humidity than ambient temperature, however, but this is just something one has to work through. @Chasing Embers points out the best strategy for coping with it, I think. Works for me, anyway.

 

[BriarsAndBottles]

In my part of CA (pretty much the divide between Southern and Central), here in the mountains it's pretty low humidity most of the year, save for summer (monsoons don't only bring rain). I'm also exclusively an outdoor smoker, and I too notice the same thing the OP does. Seems to have more to do with relative humidity than ambient temperature, however, but this is just something one has to work through. @Chasing Embers points out the best strategy for coping with it, I think. Works for me, anyway.

Totally agree it’s about RH vs temp. Just that we’re a wet winter climate, so the two tend to go hand in hand. We get a weird boost in July sometimes but that’s about it. I’ve probably driven by your neck of the woods a few hundred times. Grew up in LA so always on the 5. I’m gonna say Santa Barbara area? Was I close

 

[LeafErikson]

This is absolutely a thing if smoking outside on a rainy day here in southern Oregon. As embers said above I just pack a bit lighter and don’t smoke flakes outside in that kind of weather. I pack up a ribbon as they tend to be more dry.

 

[Servant King]

Totally agree it’s about RH vs temp. Just that we’re a wet winter climate, so the two tend to go hand in hand. We get a weird boost in July sometimes but that’s about it. I’ve probably driven by your neck of the woods a few hundred times. Grew up in LA so always on the 5. I’m gonna say Santa Barbara area? Was I close

Grew up in LA as well. I'm in Frazier Park, one of the last northbound stops before the big downhill drop to the San Joaquin Valley on I-5. Considerably different place (and time) from my humble beginnings in North Hollywood, but certainly a much more conducive environment for pipe smoking, save for the relentless wind!

 

[Razorback]

I pack the bowl a lot more lightly in the summers here in Georgia when it gets overly humid; that seems to help. Maybe also dry my tobacco out a bit more to help offset.

 

[motorjon68]

I pack the bowl a lot more lightly in the summers here in Georgia when it gets overly humid; that seems to help. Maybe also dry my tobacco out a bit more to help offset.

Seems like good advice to me as a newbie!

 

[kcghost]

I smoke a pipe until it is time to stop. I really don't care whether I leave any dottle or not.