I've never lived where it's cold berfore!

In My Humble Opinion
21

Rock salt helps melt ice. Spread it on your steps and sidewalk, and keep a bag in your car’s trunk to put under the wheels if necessary. Kitty litter or sand is also good for traction. If you drive a pickup truck, put something heavy in the back for more traction.

Keep a small shovel (one that’s more like a garden shovel than a snow shovel) in the car to dig it out.

Get a long handled snowbrush/ice scraper for your car, especially if you have a big one. Why stretch when you could just use a long handle?

There are de-iceing solutions that come in a spray can. Get the big can for spraying on an ice covered windshield, and keep one of the tiny ones made for your door locks in your coat pocket.

Clean off almost the whole windshield and windows - trying to drive while peeking out through a small hole is just wrong.

Many cities have “alternate side of the street parking” in the winter. This means you are only allowed to park overnight on one side of the street one night, then on the other side the next night, so the whole street can get plowed.

If you have to shovel your own sidewalk or driveway, don’t wait till after a big storm is over. Its easier if you don’t let it get too deep - sometimes you can just sweep it off with a broom .

Shoveling deep snow is hard work - pace yourself and don’t get overheated.

22

One thing I haven’t seen mentioned here: wind chill.

Pay attention to wind chill, and dress for it. The weather people mention it for a reason.

Even a gentle breeze can transform a pleasant-but-cool sunny afternoon of -8 (running translation: approximately 18F for you Fahrenheit-speaking folks) into an ordeal of stabbing pain in exposed hands and ears, if you’re outside for more than 15 minutes or so.

If you live in an urban area, and are walking only from heated building to heated vehicle and vice versa, you may be able to get away with dress shoes, something less than a parka for a coat, and gloves instead of mitts. Bear in mind that this is the minimum of clothing needed though. If something goes wrong–a need to walk through deep show piled in a parking lot, or deep slush in the road, for example–you will end up uncomfortably cold, wet, or worse.

Many people keep scruffy boots or shoes for walking through the cleared city streets and change them for good ones when they reach the office.

If you must spend more than a few minutes outside (such as when waiting for buses), a parka, mitts, a scarf, hat, or hood, and serious winter boots are the way to go.

Always keep your head covering handy. Twenty minutes after you go outside is no time to feel your ears in pain and then realise you left your hat and scarf at home, and your coat has no hood.

Lastly, for winter walking, spike heels are right out.

23

Upstate NY chiming in here. It would be hard to add much more to what has been posted here.

Winter is a dry season. Dehydration is a problem. Drink warm, not hot liquids.

If you are a smoker, standing outside in cold weather to get your fix might be the incentive you need to quit.

I like winter. Been doing it for 40+ years now. It might take some time to cotton to it, or you might never like it. Either way, good luck.

Remember this, there is a huge difference between " You look like the first day of Spring" and “You look like the end of a hard Winter”

24

Another thing, watch how everyone else is dressed and dress warmer. I’ve lived for years in a warm climate myself and whenever I spend time vacationing in the cold, I find myself putting on one more layer than everyone else. I know I look ridiculous with a winter coat, long johns, a scarf, gloves, hat and thick shoes on in +20F, but it’s sure worth it.

25

As a south Mississippi native who has traveled extensively I would recommend you view this link before making any life altering decisions.

26

I’d like to have a white Christmas at least once. I have lived in either Brisbane (sub-tropical Queensland) or Townsville (tropical Queensland) for most of my life, and Christmas is generally stinking hot.

Last year, for example, we had Christmas lunch at my parents place in the west of Brisbane, with no air-con and it was 43C(about 110F), with high humidity. We had hot ham and turkey.
Even the swimming pool was tepid.

At least this year my parents have put in air-con after threat of walkout by the family.

  • Bubba.
27

Another thing to think about is your attitude…if you’re frustrated and grumpy everytime it’s “freezing outside”, living in a cold climate is going to be a less enjoyable experience. Instead, convince yourself you like the cold; Try to feel exhilarated and alive by the icy wind blowing on your face!

28

I’m a So Cal transplant to Oregon, then to Tucson, then to Fairbanks, then over to England and now back in good old Oregon. Here’s my VERY GOOD cold weather advice: If it’s 30 below outside and while you’re plugging in your car engine heaters and you accidentally drop your house keys in the snow…DO NOT under any circumstances put them in your mouth while you reposition your packages before unlocking the door. Unless of course you want part of your lip to be torn off. Oh, and I think you’ll enjoy “seasons.” Seasons are these cool things that happen every three months and you notice that stuff actually changes. There was a definite lack of true seasons in San Diego and Tucson; I like weather that changes. Uh…turn into the skid.

29

Ohio Temperature Conversion Chart

60 above
South Carolinians wear coats, gloves and woolly hats.
Ohio people sunbathe.

50 above
New Yorkers try to turn on the heat.
Ohio people plant gardens.

40 above
Italian cars won’t start.
Ohio people drive with the windows down.

32 above
Distilled water freezes.
Lake Erie’s water gets thicker.

20 above
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
Ohio people have the last cook-out before it gets cold.

15 above
New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
Ohio people throw on a sweatshirt.

  • 0 -
    Californians fly away to Mexico.
    Ohio people lick the flagpole.

20 below
People in Miami cease to exist.
Ohio people get out their winter coats.

40 below
Hollywood disintegrates.
Ohio’s Girl Scouts begin selling cookies door to door.

60 below
Polar bears begin to evacuate Antarctica.
Ohio’s Boy Scouts postpone “Winter Survival” classes until it gets cold enough.

80 below
Mt. St. Helen’s freezes.
Ohio people rent some videos.

100 below
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Ohio people get frustrated when they can’t thaw the keg.

97 below
Microbial life survives on dairy products.
Ohio cows complain of farmers with cold hands.

460 below
ALL atomic motion stops.
Ohio people start saying…“Cold 'nuff for ya?”

500 below
Hell freezes over.
The Browns win the Super Bowl.

30

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Just wait till you move to a truly cold place. Cold weather is “nice and romantic”.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
(Just my $0.02, having lived my entire life in places where you can die from going outside.)

Actually, my best advice for you is that cold winters just make everything more difficult. Everything. Oh, and once you stop feeling the pain in your extremities from frostbite, then you are in serious trouble. You’re okay if they still hurt.

31

Shortly after we were married Mrs. Jimson and I moved from the rather mild midwestern climate of Cincinnati to the Frozen Tundra of Madison WI. Having both lived in Colorado we were ready for some cold weather. That being said the first four things we bought were as follows:

Two good down parkas. Nice long ones as described above, with hoods. Hoods work much better at keeping the warmth of your head in than hats. Similarly mittens work better than gloves for your hands.

A down comforter (and flannel sheets) a nice warm bed is heaven in the winter.

A four-wheel drive truck. This makes traveling on unplowed streets and driveways possible. It also helps in getting out of the ditch when to slide off the road. It does not improve stopping or maneuverability at speed.

If you have a choice, move to Colorado. It gets more sunshine. It’s amazing how much easier it is to be outside in 10 degree weather with the sun shining fully, all day. It helps your mood in the winter as well.

Lastly, I’ve found that how cold I feel is related to how well rested I am. I find I am much less likely to get chilled and warm up faster when I’m well rested.

32

autz, I was in the same boat. We lived in Houston, and every single summer, my wife said “I don’t want to spend another summer in Houston!”

Well, last year, with a little unwanted help from our (ex-)friend the economy, we decided to move, and now we live in New Hampshire. Big, BIG change.

Do you know, when we were looking at houses, we found that most of them DIDN’T EVEN HAVE AIR CONDITIONERS? I found that hard to swallow. I couldn’t even take the realtor’s word for it - I had to see for myself. Also, I found out what “oil heaters” were - just did not know the concept in Houston. I had heard on the news about all those bad winters where heating oil was short and expensive in New England, and I Just Didn’t Get It until I moved up here.

Do you know that leaves actually fall off the trees here?
And that you have to shovel snow off the driveway? (In Houston, snow is something you see in cartoons.)

We’re getting used to it, though. It’s not as hard as I thought it would be. I’ve learned what an undershirt is. I finally have a use for all those sweaters the in-laws kept getting me as gifts. You change your clothing styles, and drive a little more carefully (and believe me, even the people who have lived here for years don’t always remember they should drive carefully on ice). You wear a few layers, buy larger coats, and the temperature really isn’t that big of a deal.

At least, not until last summer, when it was in the 90’s - cooler than Houston - but unlike Houston, we had no air conditioner. (Yes, I’m expected to get one for the house by this summer.)

Really, the larger adjustment for us wasn’t the climate. It was moving from a large city (Houston) with lots of stores and restaurants and everything else, that are always open, to a place with smaller towns. That was much harder.

Best of luck, autz.

33

Mostly mentioned above, but my thoughts:

Wear a hat. Makes a WORLD of difference in retaining body heat. Old “mountain man” saying: if your feet are cold, put on your hat. For bitter cold, have ear covering.

Long underwear. I prefer silk–very light, not oppressive indoors.

A coat that covers the whole torso.

Neck covering–turtleneck, scarf, dickey, something.

It is indeed much easier to stay warm than to get warm.

If you’re going to be active outdoors, you may get overwarmed while wearing clothing appropriate for standing around. Dress in layers and open/peel as soon as you feel some extra warmth. Otherwise, you’ll sweat enough to dampen your clothes, and then when you stop moving you can get chilled in a hurry, and your clothes won’t be of much help.

Practice braking, turning, skid recovery, etc. in a large empty snow-covered parking lot. Get the feel for “going too far” so you won’t do so in traffic.

Enjoy the stark beauty of winter. In a natural setting, there are no bugs, no leaves obscuring your view of the night sky, often a sense of peacefulness. If there’s snow, the vista can be lovely.

34

Born and raised in Hawai’i, went to Maine for college, now live in Illinois. I am on intimate terms with the concept of temperature change, particularly now as I refuse to spend the outrageous sums necessary to heat my apartment. I’m not freezing by any means, but I usually end up wearing sweatpants, sweatshirt, and socks to bed each night.

At any rate, I second Podkayne’s suggestion you buy a long coat. If it doesn’t cover your ass, it’s not worth it. Cold gets in everywhere. Everyone else has chimed in with great suggestions, so I won’t waste a lot of this post reiterating it, but I love the cold. My first snowfall was absolutely beautiful, made doubly so by the fact that everyone from New England I knew in the dorm wanted to be the first to show it to me. I think cold weather builds a lot of character; something to do with triumphing over the elements, I guess. As long as you’re prepared for it, winter is one of the most beautiful things you can experience.

My mother bought me some Cuddle Duds last year and I love them! They’re great for wearing underneath more fitted sweaters, instead of a t-shirt. And the black ones look kind of sexy without a bra on, since you can sort of see through them. :wink:

35

What is the matter with you all? Cold weather is wonderful! (As long as you have the money to dress right for it and pay heating costs.) I lived in New Hampshire for two years, and I miss it every winter. I miss:

The hushed quiet of being outdoors late on a cold, clear night. The air is more still than you can imagine, the stars are brighter, and everything seems very real and immediate.

Plowing through deep snow in my moonboots and down coat, feeling smug because I’m warm even though it’s cold.

Coming in afterward and curling up with hot chocolate, an afghan (and a cat if you’ve got one), and remembering how cold it was outside.

Walking on the river once it’s frozen a few feet deep. Not to mention betting on when the ice will finally break up and wash away in the spring.

Watching sunrise after an ice storm when everything is coated with a thin layer of ice and flashes gold in the sun.

36

I don’t think it’s something you can really learn; you are either cut out to deal with cold, or you aren’t. Unfortunately you won’t know that until you’ve lived some place with a real winter. For me, the same would be true about Spring. I’d have to live somewhere that Spring wasn’t a two week long myth to see if I liked it or not. <digress>Here the seasons are different from the calendar ones. Winter: November to mid-April. Mud Season: Mid-April to Mid-May. Spring: The last two weeks of May. Summer: June to August. Fall: September and October. </digress>
There are plenty of people who live in cold climates who love it, but the rest of us think they have severe mental health issues. :smiley: I haven’t learned to love the cold yet, these past 25 years, and I’ve spent my entire life in New England. In fact my tolerance towards the cold has gone down hill as time wears on…I liked winter well enough until I was ten or so, then the appeal of being wet and cold dissipated fairly rapidly. My guess is that if you haven’t learned to love it by the end of the second winter, you’ll be ready to take the oath for the Winter Sucks membership.

37

I think you can learn to deal with cold, or heat, or whatever. I realized this when I was down on the beach and it was 15 degrees outside (celsius, you damn Americans :slight_smile: ) I’d never start the summer going to the beach at that temperature, but I 'll do it in September or October if necessary.

But for really cold weather, you want aluminum insoles in your boots. Stop that pavement from sucking the heat out of your body.

38

When clearing snow off your car’s windows, you might as well also brush off the snow on the front hood and the roof. Otherwise, as soon as you start driving along, wind will blow the snow onto your front and rear windows.

Buy a pair of auto battery jumper cables and keep them in your trunk. Be sure to keep the instructions that come with it, and follow them properly. And have your auto battery tested annually to see if you need to replace it.

When walking on dangerously icy pavement, take baby steps and put your foot down straight, don’t use a heal to toe roll.

When driving on icy streets, start braking at twice the distance you normally would, and brake gradually, not suddenly.

Put isopropyl alcohol solutions (brand names like HEET and Dri-Gas, sold at any gas station) in your gas tank to help prevent gas line freeze-ups.

Make a snowman. You’ll smile and feel better about snow when you’re done.

39

Everyone discussed clothing.

A hint; During the winter, get your car washed a LOT. It will get very dirty, but the main problem is that sand, salt, and other crap gets all over your car and will scratch and rust it to hell. Frequent car washes help prevent this.

Have a survival kit in your car, too. Extra warm clothes, some water, a little food, and a candle and matches. if you’re trapped in a snowdrift one ordinary candle will heat the inside of your car enough to save your ass.

If you wear dress shoes, be careful the first time you go out in snow and ice - if the soles are smooth you won’t be able to walk. Get rubber overshoes or at least scuff up the soles of your dress shoes with sandpaper.

If you have a driveway, make sure you purchase implements of snow removal. Or you can call someone to plow your driveway, which costs a little money but feels damned good to see it done in 5 minutes.

Remember what weather is unsafe to drive in. A little snow is safe. A lot of snow is unsafe. High winds and blowing snow is VERY unsafe on highways. Freezing rain is so unsafe you should avoid driving except in emergencies. Make sure your car is equipped with proper all-weather tires.

40

That’s why I love New Jersey, you get the both ends of the miserable… :smiley:

In the summer you get the sweltering heat (in the hundreds with lots of humidity)
And in the winter you get the freezing, miserable cold.