GR translation: 39 degrees of frost

[Mark Kohut]

The only other use of the phrase Google Books reveals
is in a mountaineering history of climbing Everest.

Discribed one group measuring weather from base camp. 
Seems they didn't try that day.................



----- Original Message ----
From: Jed Kelestron <jedkelestron at gmail.com>
To: pynchon -l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Sun, July 3, 2011 8:53:14 PM
Subject: Re: GR translation: 39 degrees of frost

On Sun, Jul 3, 2011 at 1:46 PM, Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at verizon.net> wrote:

> I'd think it means minus 7 degrees Fahrenheit.  Freezing being 32.
--------------------------------

Paul is correct:

Idiom:  degree of frost, British . the degree of temperature
Fahrenheit below the freezing point: 10 degrees of frost is equivalent
to 22°F.  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/frost