What do people that are for the first time moving to a place where is snows need to know?
If you never lived where it snows and were moving North to where it does snow, what would you have liked to have known? What would you do to prepare?
Make sure to keep your windshield washer fluid filled.
and make sure it's winter grade fluid (rated for freezing temps)!
I once had summer stuff in there (doesn't smell as bad because no anti-freeze) and as soon as I turned the wiper spray on the whole window froze over and I couldn't see shit while I was driving.
scary shit!
We had to make an emergency trip to Quebec in January 2022 because of health issues with the in-laws. Father-in-law advised to get the stuff rated to -20°F, but it wasn’t available where we live and I’d gotten the car serviced before we hit the road and they filled the washer fluid with what they had, I’m guessing 0°F. I bought some -20°F in Buffalo but didn’t have room to add any. The temperature was rapidly dropping as we headed farther north and as we neared Watertown, NY the fluid wasn’t spraying well. I tried adding what I could of the -20°F but by the time we stopped east of Montreal that night it was -45°F and the whole system had frozen solid. Tried using a hairdryer at the hotel, but we couldn’t melt it until we got it in the in-laws garage. Without fluid running the wipers can mean just smearing crud across your windshield, making it impossible to see.
Now I always make sure whenever we leave Quebec that I have a bottle of -49°F rated fluid and fill the reservoir at home before heading up in the winter. If there’s a lot of warmer-rated fluid in the car I’ll actually siphon it out.
18°c is uncalled for though? Above 12 should be fine
I'd go somewhere in-between to keep things dry.
Condensation around windows and outer walls make great growing grounds for mold. 15°C is the recommendation here.
Shit can happen. Boilers break. Leave your faucets dripping and run your circulation pump off of a battery and inverter to save your pipes.
18°C is recommended, especially for uninsulated pipes and where the ambient heat may have trouble reaching, as these spots may get colder.
More importantly, check your home insurance coverage policy, some will set a minimum temperature to maintain to be covered, with some exemptions in case of a power outage and other things outside of your control.
Look at Dr Money over here, anything above 0°C will keep the pipes from freezing and is technically survivable
Before it gets cold, turn off your outdoor spigots from the inside. If you have ducted air, change the filter every few months. If you have a furnace or boiler, be sure to have a carbon monoxide detector in addition to regular smoke detectors.
It's four wheel drive not four wheel stop.
Yeah this is a great guide, especially for clothing.
A lot of people have pretty well covered how to drive in snow and ice, but here's a little secret they won't tell you:
The first big snow will bring the car fairy to sprinkle wrecked cars along the side of the road. Most of these are given by people with plenty of experience driving on snow.
Stay home that first time. If you absolutely must drive, be the one going too slowly. After that, you can kind of do as the Romans do.
My first time driving in snow ever was in January. From Columbia, MD, through DC into Arlington, VA. At 5.30 AM. Big truck guys we the most guys on the snow. I drove a FWD 05 Jetta and drive painfully slowly and made it. Patience and sensibility paid off abundantly.
When there's snow on the ground, drive like you have an open cup of coffee in your lap. Turn, brake, or accelerate too hard and you spill steaming hot coffee on your bits. Winter tires will help a lot, but drive like you don't have them.
It's worth noting you should extend this mindset to those around you. An out of control car can slide a LONG way. Make sure you have the space and capability to get out of danger zones, or wait for them to be completely clear.
You might have proper winter tires, and be in control. This doesn't stop an idiot on summer ties gliding into you like an elephant on iceskates.
Also extend this to others. Give the cars ahead of /around you PLENTY of room to escape.
Most importantly always break well before a turn in snow. Never break in a turn.
I've never heard that coffee metaphor but it's perfect. I'm going to start borrowing that one
I moved to a snow city for the first time well into adulthood.
The big thing I have for you is that walking on snow is awesome for like two hours and then it's constantly threatening to kill you. Slippery sludge or ice is the worst feeling in the universe and all the locals will just strut right over it like it's nothing while you're fighting for your life.
Just buy good shoes and plant your feet vertically, no sliding motions.
Planting one’s feet vertically is a skill that takes a while to develop.
Crampons help.
I feel comfortable walking on ice, but I've had it a few times that people drove past me on road bikes.
Many people mentioned clearing ALL the snow off your car, but I didn’t see people mentioning why. Here are some videos to elaborate how terrifying and dangerous it can be when people don’t do that.
It takes a lot of energy to clear the car off, but it’s critical. Don’t be the person that harms someone else just to save a bit of time and effort.
There's more to know if you plan to drive a car.
Four-wheel drive helps to accelerate in icy conditions, it does not help braking.
Make slow, careful changes when it's snowy or icy. Slow down more than you normally would to take a turn. Give yourself triple the distance to slow to a stop. Don't turn hard.
Use windshield wiper fluid appropriate for freezing temperatures.
Put any rage or impatience aside and get to where you're going safely.
If you live in a place that clears the streets and you don't have to go anywhere, consider staying put. Wait a couple hours until the streets are cleared.
If you'll be driving somewhere more remote, have clothes and boots appropriate for the weather in case your car breaks down or gets stuck and you have to walk. I also keep a jug of water, flashlight, and blanket/sleeping bag in my trunk during winter for this reason.
You can't melt through snow or ice by spinning your tires.
This is very important, I've seen people try this and it just makes things worse. In another comment I suggested my favourite solution to getting stuck like this; have a one-handed garden pick or similar tool in the car so you can dig the tires out of the ice.
Stopping takes longer. Drive slower; leave more space to stop.
You'd think it's common sense, but a huge number of the accidents in winter are because people drive like idiots.
Conditions change rapidly too. A cloud can cause everything to ice over instantly. You might have stopped fine every other time, but it takes a single unexpected slide to change lives forever.
Mittens are warmer than gloves.
Winter shoes must fit a woolen sock and not be too tight, otherwise the insulation gets compressed and doesn't work.
Better to wear many layers rather than just one layer of super thick clothing
I actually like my winter boots to be slightly loose too. I get cold toes easily, but if there's a little extra room in my boots I find that every step moves air around inside the boot so my toebox doesn't get isolated.
Last but not least, learn to ski/snowboard. Best way to spend time outdoors. Also, develop a taste for a mulled wine.
get yourself few sets of breathing underwear
Does it like, have warm breath to keep you comfortable?
More like the underwear that won't make you sweat and if you do, it would get the excess of moisture away from the body.
I know you're joking but I'll answer that it's not a nice to sweat in warm clothing but have it cool down in skin-contact
Ask a local to show you some of their winter clothes or to take you winter clothes shopping. Your warmest clothes right now are not warm enough. Capacitive touch gloves will let you use your phone.
If you have a car, get a snow brush and ice scraper (for windshield and windows). There is winter windshield fluid, get and use it when it's snowing. Get winter tires, it makes a difference. Insurance companies give a discount for having them. If there's snow on the road, go slower than you think you should, and start braking at least twice as early as when it's dry. Accelerate and brake slowly. If your car is sliding on ice, resist the temptation to keep pressing your brakes, try your best to steer the slide instead.
If your car gets stuck in snow and you need to run it to keep it warm, make sure the tail pipe is well clear of snow (carbon monoxide). Keep an emergency blanket, hat, gloves in the car in case of breakdown. If the wheels are stuck in a snowbank (just spinning in place), some sand or non-clumping cat litter can give you traction. You can sacrifice your floor mats for this, too.
If you walk instead of drive, consider crampons for your boots for if it gets icy out.
There's different textures and density to snow. Wet snow is dense and heavy, dry snow is light and fluffy. Shoveling can be very different depending on the snow. Lift/push with your legs, now with your arms or back. Take breaks if needed.
If you wear glasses, they will fog up when you go from outside to inside. Sorry. You could get anti-fog stuff used for snow and ski goggles, but most normal people just wait for them to warm up.
A scarf makes a big difference.
Wool can keep you warm even when wet.
Be prepared for power outages especially if the area does not bury power lines. Heavy snow, or worse, ice, can make tree branches heavy and fall and snap power lines. If this happens, be mindful of carbon monoxide. People, families have died trying to keep warm by running generators, stoves, etc indoors without proper ventilation.
Snow reflects sunlight; wear sunglasses if the sun is out and there's snow on the ground.
Go outside and listen when the snow is falling. It makes everything quieter and it's really ice to hear.
Snow that's warmed slightly then frozen again is crunchy and fun to walk on.
If you're north enough, the sunlight will not be sufficient for creating vitamin D. (Plus you'll probably be indoors more, less daylight in general.) Consider a supplement.
Consider a SAD light if lack of daylight affects your moods.
Go outside and listen when the snow is falling. It makes everything quieter and it's really ice to hear.
Somehow that typo works in this context. Ice.
Snow that's warmed slightly then frozen again is crunchy and fun to walk on.
It's "ice" to walk on.
Jokes aside, thank you so much for the information. I don't live where it snows but I learned a lit about how to survive if I ever need to. Thanks again.
Drive your car like it doesn't have brakes. Treat it like a boat.
When you get parked, knock the snow and ice out of the wheel wells before you start driving again.
Drive slowly on snow. 90% of driving works just fine so long as you go slow. And that doesn’t mean 35 in a 40 zone. That means 10 in a 40 zone.
Drive super fucking slow on snow, and you’ll be fine.
People who come from warmer climates to snow always fuck this up, and it’s so simple. I think there’s a pride thing involved. So just get over your “I can do this” pride, and drive ultra slow.
At least at first. You can speed up a little once you get a sense of what makes the car slide, but to start with just go ultra ultra slow.
So you're the dickweed out on the roads doing 10 mph in the snow.
Stay home
Some of us know how to drive in the snow
(Slow on ice is acceptable, but if it's an ice storm, stay home anyway. No reason to wind up in a ditch because you wanted Twinkies)
No matter how comfortable you get driving in the snow, always drive slow.
I don't care if you got four wheel drive chains and snow tires, drive like 5 10 15 miles an hour.
Also, if you start to skid, don't slam on the brakes.
If it is a long skid and you have time to react, drop your vehicle down into low gear (which should not be very difficult because you've been driving slow right?) and let off the accelerator and allow the resistance of the drivetrain to slow you down.
If you feel yourself decelerating you can try tapping the brakes but if you do not immediately regain traction and slow back down, let off the brake.
When you are in a skidding situation, do not White knuckle your steering wheel. Especially when you are turning against the skid, suddenly regaining traction with your tires at an extreme angle can put you into an entirely new skid. You need to be prepared to let go of the steering wheel as soon as you have traction if need be.
Finally, practice.
When there is a gentle snow, which there often is prior to large snows, take your car out and drive it around. Find out how your car reacts in the snow and get a little bit of practice with the small skids that you might encounter on the roads that you travel.
If you live up or down a large Hill, find out if there are alternative routes that you can take to get to your destination. If there is no way to get to your house without either going up or coming down a large hill, identify places where you can safely park your car away from the hill and walk to your home.
Finding that information out beforehand will save you a lot of hassle in the event of a winter storm.
I'll finish that up with saying, if you expect yourself to be in severe winter weather, it is a good idea to get some chains and some traction devices and some blankets and some water and store them in the trunk of your car during the winter season.
That way, if you are caught unaware's, you will be prepared.
All of my advice are for severe places like Wisconsin. If you live in a place where the snow is well managed that might be Overkill.
I moved to Washington State and got caught in a blizzard in an old beat-up pickup truck.
Part of my route to get home required that I go down a Long Hill, so I slowed to 5 miles an hour and dropped my vehicle in to low gear and made it about 20 ft down the hill before I lost traction.
As I'm slowly uncontrollably skiing down the hill on a bed of snow, to my left and to my right I am passing by row after row after row of vehicles that had been abandoned by their drivers unable to traverse this road.
It was a good day to wear brown pants
However, by steering against the skid and not white knuckling and not riding my brakes and keeping the vehicle in its low drive I was able to safely ski down the road that I had found myself on and make it to the other side.
I was able to drive home that day by following my own advice.
If something like that happens to you, I hope you do the same.
Layer your clothing.
An undershirt + a shirt + sweater + jacket + a shell is a really warm combination. On your legs, long johns + pajama pants + regular pants is great.
As the seasons change, you can omit items to get just the right temperature.
From the top of my head:
Everyone forgets how to drive when it first snows. Try to avoid driving as much as possible during the first few days of winter.
Stick to busy roads if it recently snowed as they get plow priority, and the heavy traffic will help pack down the snow which will make it less slippery.
Fresh snow is a heck of a lot more slippery than snow that fell a few days ago.
4 wheel / all wheel drive is great, but you don't actually need it. If your car has traction control and a good set of tires, then you've got everything you need to drive in the snow with confidence.
Snow tires are a worthy investment. People think that you don't need snow tires if you have all seasons, but there's no comparison to tires that are specifically made to be driven in the snow.
The posted speed limit is for ideal weather conditions. If there's snow on the ground, then that's not ideal, and you need to drive slower than the speed limit if you want to be safe and not fly off the road. One time a car passed me and about 2 miles later I saw that exact same car in the ditch. You don't want to be that person. If you are that person, then everyone that passes you will be silently judging you while you sit there and wait hours for a tow truck because 30 other people all did the exact same thing at the exact same time.
Not really snow related, but cars with old batteries have a really hard time starting when the weather is at or below zero. If your battery is more than a few years old, it might be time to get a new one.
Bridges will freeze before anything else when the temperature gets below freezing. Just because the roads aren't slippery doesn't mean that any bridges you go over will be the same.
Not necessarily about fresh snow. Old snow packs down into hard, slick ice and sometimes fresh snow gives you way more traction. Depends on the temperature.
Also I moved into an area where there is less snow, but when we get it it almost always starts as rain.... Then snow... Which melts on the pavement.... And eventually the pavement hits zero and all that water turns to ice.
Now you have snow on ice, which is awful.
Where I grew up is exactly how you described it though. Generally fresh snow is fine if the road was previously plowed / treated with gravel or deicer / salt.
Watch out where the huskies go.
Don't you eat that yellow snow.
I live at 2000m altitude
I had a problem with skin on the tops of my knees drying out and flaking, it was quite painful
Turned out it was the antiperspirant I was using on my armpits got on my knees when I bent over to put my socks on and dried out the skin 😂
Aside from all the practical tips... It's very pretty at night -- snowglow. Also sledding is super fun and can be done for cheap/free.
Moving to Michigan from wv has taught me one thing, people don’t really realize how slick ice and slush really is. I man the mountains even if you are going slow you’ll slide up and down the hills and turns, even small ones. Up here where it’s all flat and straight lines people go 80 through ice that they probably don’t realize they can’t stop or even really turn on effectively without huge risk. TAKE IT SLOW always be sure of road conditions and you ability before going out
Have good boots for winter, because ice or packed snow is slippery and often unavoidable. And when you're picking the boots, make sure they have enough space for thick socks.
If you are walking down a very snowy hill or something, I've found out that stepping with your heel first, so that your foot creates a stair-like step helps. Useful if it happens to be a path you use often.
Think about warm clothing and plan ahead. Especially in fall or spring, having extra warm clothing with you is super useful even if you don't need it at the moment, because you can never know when it gets suddenly colder.
Dress in layers. For example, the upper body could have the following layers:
You forgot one of the most important and best layers thermals both upper and lower part. It dose SO much.
It's ok to eat a bit more nutritious food when it's cold - your natural body heating costs energy.
Cover your head when outside, your head loses an unreasonable amount of heat.
If your bed's too cold in the evening, buy a heating pad - a warm bed feels awsome.
If your hands get painfully cold, more excruciating pain may be waiting for you when they start to heat back up. To avoid the additional pain, put your hands under cold tap water first - I promise it's going to feel warm. Then increase the heat slowly until your hands are warm again.
An electric blanket is one of the best ways to warm up when you're "chilled to the bone". Layer them between normal blankets to make the most of the heat and keep them clean, and you can get whole body heat for a tenth the cost of even a little space heater.
There's an old saying, "If your feet are cold, put on a hat". You could have the nicest coat ever made, but nothing will warm a particular body part more than the body parts next to it. There's tons of blood flowing close to the surface on the head, neck, and wrists; having those areas exposed turns your skin into a blood-cooling radiator. So consistent, thorough coverage and tucking in layers will make your winter clothes warmer than the sum of their parts
Don’t use anything but a snow scraper to clear windows. Credit cards and anything else will scratch your shit up.
Your car will rust at a surprising rate.
All season tires are barely adequate. If you have room get a set of winter tires/wheels.
Remote start is a godsend.
When driving in snow or icy roads it's worth knowing that there are times where it's best not to panic and slam on the brakes. Sometimes it's safer to take your foot off of both the brake and gas pedals particularly if there is little danger of colliding with what's in front of you. Every fiber in your body may be telling you to hit the brakes but you have to ignore it, similar to encountering a bear in the wild and your body wants to run. It's counterintuitive. I highly suggest finding an empty parking lot full of snow and driving around. Try to make the car slide. It's best to learn in an environment like this. Same thing goes for when your car drives through a puddle of water or just as importantly when half your car drives through a puddle. Two tires locking up while the other two get no traction can cause a spin out or loss of control.
Staying dry is just as important as staying warm. Melting snow on a mild day can soak your feet. Sweating from dressing too warm can make you clammy and cold. Minor adjustments in your clothing like removing or adding a hat or gloves can make a big difference. A scarf or neck gaitor can make a big difference.
Another driving one... check your driving app of choice for traffic before you're leaving the house. Be patient. Know when to put your foot down and tell your boss it's just not worth it.
Lastly, take up a winter activity. You may find yourself (like me) looking forward to winter. Buy cross-country skis and it will never snow enough
Norwegian here, and there are some common mistakes I see in people not used to the climate.
So you spent the day outside shoveling snow, maybe you had to walk 20 minutes to get to a friend's house, maybe the cold itself just took it out of you because your body was burning calories just to stay warm. You finally get home and you are out of breath and just wanting to dry off and get warm again- and that's when you thank your past self for what you did on meal prep Sunday:
French onion soup.
You can look online for recipes, but here's what I improvised last Sunday (probably not definition french onion soup, but at least a variation on a theme). Mine takes about 1 hour to make (10 min prep, 50ish minutes to cook)
Ingredients:
Dish and serve! If you want to really clog those arteries, go ahead and add some cheese on top, I like smoked Gouda. I also use a pipe sweater to torch the cheese and give it a little melty/ crispy texture. This soup should be thick and hearty to restore your energy and give you the gumption to brave the elements again. If you were link in legend of Zelda, you're getting at least 10 yellow hearts from this.
That and a hot tody will give you the coziness that will lift your spirits in the dark cold months.
Good luck!
This is certainly one of the best ideas here. I second this, wholeheartedly!
It also will make your house smell great! I'd also suggest making enough for friends and visitors.
I'm in Chicago and it can get lonely if you decide to stay couped up in your house for too long. Make sure to be intentional on inviting friends over and becoming close with your neighbors. I noticed comments here are focused on the physical aspect of winter, but it's also important to take care of your mental health.
My theory is the Midwestern kindness is just a regional Stockholm syndrome. We're all in this together.
Telltale sign that a French onion soup recipe is really Belgian: if it's written in Belch.
There is no such thing as good winter drivers and bad winter drivers. There is only those with snow tires and those without.
Best: 4 snows on awd and 2-4 water softener bags of salt in trunk for weight and getting unstuck.
2nd best: 4 snow on awd
3rd best: 2 snow on front wheel drive with 4 salt bags in trunk/bed.
4th best: awd no snows but good tread
Worst: fuckin everything else.
Household tips: insulate your pipes if in unfinished basement or have a heater running for really cold days or if the pipes will not have water FLOWING/RUNNING/MOVING thru pipes i.e. you go on vacation.
Plastic wrap your windows every fall. It sucks but helps a ton keeping heat in and costs down.
Spend the most money on gloves, hats and boots. Things that can't be layered and get rhe coldest.
Hot hands/heat pouches are life savers for winter sports/sporting events/hunting/camping. They make them in foot shaped stick on versions for boots, put one in each of your pants pockets and one each in your coat pockets.
Keep spare salt, shovel, gloves, hat, blanket, granola bars and water in your car for when you WILL go off the road and need to wait for AAA.
Don't fuck around with ice. Don't try and walk across it without losing balance. Dont try and walk across it because you think it's thick enough to hold you. If you are going on ice over water DONOT until you have drilled to check thickness or it is a large bodybif water that publishes the ice thickness.
Yes, snowmobiles can hydroplane across bodies of water.
Yes, skiis and snowboards can skate across bodies of water.
DO FUCKING NOT FUCKING TRY AND FUCKING HYDRO-FUCKING-PLANE OR SKI/SNOWBOARD ACCROSS ANY BODIES OF WATER.
There is no such thing as good winter drivers and bad winter drivers. There is only those with snow tires and those without.
I don't agree with that. Good tools are useless in the hands of the ignorant. Somebody can have the best winter tires ever engineered, but if they stop and turn on ice like they would do on perfect pavement on the dryest summer days, then they're fucked and they're a cocky jackass. A good driver will know the limits of their tires, whatever they are.
True, it follows that having this knowledge will generally convince good drivers to get better tires, but it's not like buying fancy new rubber will turn you into Ken Block (rip).
TL;DR: Get the winter tires, they're great and worth it. But PLEASE for the love of god take the time to learn how to fucking drive on snow and ice or you'll be stuck in the medium with the rest of them, because even with the best winter tires it's NOT the same physics
You don't need snow tires in Chicago. The streets are very well plowed and salted. Just take it slow.
Actually the best tires of all: stay the fuck home where it's nice and warm and work online in your socks and bathrobe.
That's the dumbest thing I've heard. The part about there not being good or bad winter drivers.
Honestly. Most of your tips sounds what someone says that was a tourist somewhere cold once in their life and now pretends to know what they're talking about.
Sincerely. Someone born and raised in the north.
Thank you very much!
Everyone else has covered the important stuff, so I'll just recommend that, especially if you have kids, you identify the local sledding hill and get a sled, snow pants, warm coat, snow boots, gloves and hat. If you've gotta live in it, make sure you enjoy it when it comes!
Don’t skimp on the winter clothes for your kids. If they’re properly dressed they’ll be outside all day. Good for you and good for them.
Reima is a good brand but REI house brand stuff is good too and cheaper. Wool layers, waterproof outers. Mittens are warmer than gloves.
Find an empty parking lot before it snows. Verify there are no obstacles in it or find a large area with no obstacles. Wait until it snows. Hit that bitch up and learn about how your car handles and how to recover when you fuck up.
Make sure to bring a shovel and maybe some boards or whatever others suggest in case you get yourself stuck.
My wife and I were once at a day long event a few hours north and it snowed pretty heavy. Didn't even think about the car until we walked up to see the tires almost completely covered. It was late and the whole town pretty much shut down, so all I had to use was a window scraper.
Definitely keep a shovel in the car.
If you get an office job find out what the work policy is on snow days. Plenty of employers will let you work from home without question even if it's a job where you would normally go in. For me any place that doesn't would get a hard no. It means they DGAF about you.
Winter Cycling Tips:
Studded tires make riding a bicycle on ice much safer. The front one insures you won't fall on your face, the rear one helps give you enough traction to move forward.
Full coverage fenders will keep your bike significantly cleaner, which means it corrode far less. And they keep snow/slush/water from flying up at you too.
Cold drains batteries much quicker. Consider getting a dynamo lighting setup so you don't have to rely on batteries.
Your body generates a significant amount of heat while cycling, so it is best to dress so you will be somewhat cold the first mile or two, then you are more likely to be comfortable for the rest of the ride.
Cotton absorbs water. If you wear cotton clothing, and it gets wet from sweat or from snow melting on you, or just water from anywhere, your cotton clothing will be cold. So dont wear jeans in the snow. Dont wear cotton socks. Cotton long underwear is fine under you pants if you're not going to be in the snow. But silk or synthetic fibers are a must for sledding, or skiing or snowshoeing or really anything you might want to do to play or excercise in the snow.
I lived in colorado where the snow was very dry. When it snowed i would rush outside and use a hand plow to clear my walkways before anyone could step on it. Some of my neighbors would use leaf blowers. If the morning walkers crunched the snow before i could shovel it, the sidewalk would have boot shaped icebergs frozen all over it until we got enough sun to melt it off.
This would drive me nuts so i would work to get everything cleared off as soon as it stopped snowing
This.
DO NIT WALK/COMPACT YOUR REGULAR PATHS BEFORE SHOVELLING! SHOVEL THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
If you have compacted snow you will have to stab it top down with a round end steel shovel crcking apart 10cm(4") sections the whole way.
Spent the better part of last winter fixing the mistake i made in my first week of snow. (125m long path).
If you have wood oven heating then keep your wood stock close to home. My shed is 30m away and it gets real old hauling across every few days. I also use a plastic bin to carry it now. A lot easier than a wheelbarrow as you can walk right into your house and to your inside wood shelf.
Boot chains are really great, not the spikes, chains. Especially if you have a dog that gets excited and pulls.
If you have a long driveway consider a plowing service, your local farmer will probably do it cheaper(than you think) than a commercial service if you're rural.
Stock up on food/water.
Otherwise there's not much to it.
Freezing cold is +3C/-6C, then -18C and below. The -6C/-18C range is actually very comfortable.
I've lived with the snow all my life, but I can probably still offer some tips that people get caught on.
Snow removal is a bastard. Snow's often heavier than it looks, especially when it's wet. If you're doing it yourself, make sure to stretch and not to attempt it if you have a heart condition. The low temperature makes the exertion more difficult on your heart, lungs, and muscles. It's a fantastic way to stay in shape, but I often pull something in my back with the first major snowfall.
Winter driving bears some special consideration. Your car might need more time to warm up before it's good to drive, and freezes will kill low batteries. Traction is poor, and even with a light layer of snow it can be very difficult to drive uphill. You often need a running start, and around here sometimes you just can't make it to the top. Be prepared by knowing alternate routes, and by keeping an eye out for other drivers that might start rolling back towards you.
People often get stuck in the snow, so it's important to be prepared. There's two types of roadside emergency kits that you should be prepared to use. One is for attempting to get your car out of the snow, and the other is for survival if you can't get unstuck. People more qualified than I could tell you what should be in them, but warm clothing and blankets are a must. If you have enough fuel, you might think that you could run the car all night to keep warm. But be warned that might not always be an option, and if the snow is piling up it can cause your exhaust to back up and asphyxiate you.
Walking in snow requires a higher level of exertion. It's harder on your muscles, and stabilizing on packed snow might cause you to use some unfamiliar muscle groups. Again, it's a great way to stay in shape, but if you're not prepared for it you can quickly have a bad time. If the snow is particularly deep, you might be interested in snowshoeing or skiing. These are easier than clomping through the snow, but again, they'll be unfamiliar muscle groups and require some practice.
I would do some research to see what level of snow removal your destination city does. Some places are super accessible, some plow only roads and leave sidewalks buried, and some places you're snowbound for months at a time. I personally find it quite cozy to be snowed in, but it can become a serious problem if you're not prepared for it.
This one's probably subjective, but I find it important to keep separate Winter and Autumn outerwear. We're at the time of year now where we're starting to see some freezing temperatures, but it's nowhere near what it'll be in a couple months' time. If you're coming from a hot climate, you might be tempted to put on your warmest clothes as soon as it's colder than you've been in your life. But then when it gets even colder than that, you'll be happy to have something warmer to add to it.
Find something fun to do in the snow. If you've never seen snow in person before, I understand it's often a magical feeling. But once you live with it for a long time, the magic can fade, and the inconveniences can mount. Having something to look forward to with the snow sometimes makes all the difference between Winter Wonderland and Frozen Hellscape. Whether that's tobogganing, skating, or snowball fights, you've got to do something to keep up the morale in the winter months.
Bridges ice up before roadways. When driving across a bridge, even if the roads are okay, be really cautious.
If your state salts the roads in the winter, it's strongly recommended to undercoat your vehicle with a coating to preserve it from rusting and shortening its useful life. Fluid Film is one of the better coatings, and is based on sheep lanolin, so it's not toxic to the environment.
4wheel drive is nice, but tires are EVERYTHING. You absolutely cannot rely on all season tires, you MUST get proper Winter tires if your region snows heavily, or you will have a bad time.
There are now fabric snow 'socks' for cars that act like snow chains to get you out if a bind, which would be worth having in the trunk.
In the winter, ALWAYS bring winter rated clothing in the car along with water, a small amount of food, heavy duty blanket, and a small liquid paraffin candle for heat in the event you get stuck in a storm, or go off the road from ice.
Cycling through fresh snow is fine, it’s the snow that has been driven over and compacted that’s really slippery.
When you ride over the slippery icy stuff, don’t brake hard, don’t make any sudden turns. Better to just stop pedaling and let your bike roll. Watch out for hard frozen ridges of snow.
Usually the cycle paths are salted early, it’s the part from the busy cycle paths to your front door and the last bit to your destination where you have to watch out.
Snow dampens sound so be careful around cars, you might not hear them coming. If you wear a coat with a hood it might be more difficult and annoying turn your head, resist urge to not look when crossing roads.
Depends how much it snows and how cold it gets. Much of this may sound over-cautious if your winters are mild.
Sprinkle cat litter after you shovel and salt, it'll provide traction and prevent ice from reforming. You can get one good and warm set of winter clothes, or you can do a fuckton of layers. The former is simpler but can leave you with less flexibility and will probably be more expensive than wearing 3-5 layers of clothes you probably already own. If you don't have them, long johns/thermal pants are a godsend. Gloves and a hat that covers the ears are also godsends, but if you're willing to tough it out (and maybe lose a few extremities) you can do without them as eventually you'll stop feeling the sting. Tuck your shirt and/or jacket into your pants, this will trap heat. Tuck your gloves into your coat or vice versa. Get good boots, i cannot stress this enough. It is not fun or a good idea dealing with snow in sneakers.
Get cleats for your shoes. Black ice (nearly invisible ice) is terrifying. It can form basically everywhere and sometimes salt doesn't always remove all of it.
When using salt, its the salt water that melts the ice. So if theres a slope on your driveway, then place most of the salt at the top, so the sale water flows down and melts the rest. Same with stairs.
Not sure where you are moving to, but here in the states the mailman tried to sue my parents because he slipped on their stairs and broke something. So make sure to clear the area to your mail box thoroughly.
We all know its stupid to stick our tongue on a steel pole but it can happen to any part of you if its cold enough. Be careful touching metal without gloves on.
The sticking only happens due to moisture on your skin. If your skin is dry enough it won't stick. That's why the tongue is the go-to dare for playground kids. Lots of moisture. If your skin is clammy from sweat or snow melt and the metal is cold enough then the moisture freezes to the metal and grips your skin
This is mostly if doing outdoor outings.
Dress in layers. If you find it cold, you can always add multiple pairs of gloves, socks, and scarves and take them off as you get hot. There are balaclava type things and long John's available as well.
They sell little hot pockets you can activate and they stay warm for 2-3 hours or so, you can keep them in your gloves and boots. There are self heating gloves as well with batteries.
Keeping a thermos with a hot beverage helps as well.
Don't get wet, this includes sweating a lot.
Get a scraper/brush and keep it in your car.
Use it before you start driving. Don't just clear a "porthole" to see out of. Clear the snow off the roof too. If you don't it'll fly off and hit the guy behind you or it'll slide down over your windshield.
If you don't have your scraper, a credit card will work in a pinch for the windshield.
Don't pour hot water over your windshield to melt ice. At best it just doesn't work, at worst you'll crack the windshield
If you're new to driving on icy/snowy roads, get a sense for how/when your car will break traction. Find an empty parking lot, accelerate a bit and then brake increasingly harder until you start to slide. This will give you a feel for the conditions under which you'll lose traction to brake. This is also a good way to learn how to recover from a slide.
I've got a spray bottle filled with windshield wiper fluid I sometimes use to "pre-treat" an icy windshield before I get to scraping it, it's often able to loosen the ice's grip on the glass so the scraper can just lift it off. Simpler and more controllable than relying on the built-in windshield sprayers.
A one-handed garden pick is a nice tool to have handy if you find your car's wheels stuck in some hard-packed snow or ice. Don't spin your wheels fruitlessly, the friction is just making the ice slicker and harder. Use the garden pick to dig the wheels out instead, creating a rough surface to get some initial traction on. There are also traction plates or mats that you can stick in there to help get moving, though you need to be able to move the car far enough to get them caught under the wheels for them to work.
Make sure your car battery is in good condition. Cold weather will reduce its power output, so if your car's going to fail to start it'll be in the dead of winter when that happens. For peace of mind I bought one of those battery booster packs that you can use to jump-start a car with and I really like it, it's got a built-in air pump, USB charger, and light source as well and I've used it for all of those things now and then. Wasn't very expensive.
Stash a warm hat and a pair of warm mittens in the car somewhere. If you end up stranded on a roadside you won't have known ahead of time that you were going to be stranded so you might not have brought adequate clothing with you. A flashlight, too. In northern latitudes there's a lot of darkness during winter time.
Depending where you are moving to, snow may not be the only sort of inclement winter weather you may have to deal with. For instance, ice may build up on trees, power lines, and/or roads.
If on roads, don't drive unless you absolutely have to, and if you do, be way more careful than you think you need to be. Look up safety tips for driving in icy conditions before you have to put them into practice.
If you have any trees that might fall on anything of value, kindof watch their condition. If any are splitting down the middle, hire someone to treat them before the winter season to avoid major problems like this.
Or it's possible you'll live somewhere ice buildup is unlikely to be an issue. Maybe look into the history of the area or talk to someone who has been there a long time to find out what conditions might be an issue.
Also, the ability to work remotely is kinda nice, I guess. It's a double-edged sword, though. If you can work remotely, you never get days off due to weather. But if you can't, you may be pressured to drive into the office when it's very dangerous.
Don't eat the yellow snow
Don't dive in head first, it will break your neck.
For driving: If there's snow on the ground and you're in a safe place to do this, get up to 5 mph or so and slam on the brakes. That'll give you a good feel for your much traction you have. Of course, conditions vary, so don't sue me if you had grip on your home street but not the freeway. Other than that, keep acceleration to a minimum, and I mean that in any direction. Ease on the gas, ease on the brake, slow down BEFORE you need to turn, and turn easy. Be calm, a panicked reaction to a slide can make it worse. Abs and traction control can save your ass, but they're emergency systems. If they are activating frequently, SLOW THE FUCK DOWN.
Driving aside, nice winter clothes are great, but how you wear them is much more important in my experience. Keep body heat in and cold wind out. Assuming that your clothes actually fit, the best, free way to do this is to simply tuck your shirt into your pants, and if you have them, coat sleeves over your gloves and neck gaiter into your coat. You lose so much heat in those areas, by addressing them you can be out many degrees colder before you need another layer. However, if you're physically exerting yourself in the cold, don't let yourself sweat, because as soon as you stop that shit will freeze. Be mindful of when you start getting warm and be prepared to untuck clothes, open vents, or remove layers.
Finally, and you should be doing this anyway but people forget in winter, drink plenty of water.
My addition to your driving comment is to make sure you have the right tires on your vehicle and if you have a rear wheel drive vehicle, get rid of it and get an AWD one. And before someone jumps in and comments about how their Mustang does just fine in the snow, let me remind you that OP has no experience driving in snow, so no, a RWD car is crap for snow/ice compared to FWD or AWD.
As for the tires, I realize studded tires have their issues, but they are still the best winter tire for both snow and ice. Blizzaks and the like are good, but on glare ice with a thin layer of water on top, they just don't cut it the way studded tires do.
Layers are the key. Lots of small layers especially something sweat wicking on the bottom layers. It's good to have lots of layers to add and subtract
If it snows much at all, get some waterproof boots that either have insulation or plenty of room for socks. Get ones either intended for snow or look similar to ones that are, as soles of boots have different traction in snow than dirt just like tires. They don't need to be marshmallow looking snow boots, just purpose made winter boots.
Snow pants and a good winter coat is good for keeping dry while shoveling snow. Dress in layers, so that you can remove one or two if you start to get warm. If exerting yourself avoid sweating by going a little lighter than you would when stationary or walking as sweat will.make you a lot colder. If you can find and handle wool it is absolutely amazing at keeping you dry, even if it gets wet, and it is a lot better at leeping you a constant temp through a wide variety of temps.
Where I live we get strong winds, and even down to 0F with wind I generally wear a long sleeve wool shirt, light jacket as a windbreak, snow pants, and some insulated work boots made for snow. Plus gloves and a hat of course, which are the two things that tend to get sweaty!
It can in fact thunderstorm and snow at the same time. can even do it while alternating between rain and snow causing layers of ice hidden in snow. if you're moving to a place that does this, just stay in doors and enjoy the show. if it's one of the regions that can also spawn tornados during these storms. you watch the storm on tv from a basement.
oh i dont see it in the comments yet. all of which are great. proper snow boots. even it only snows a little where you are. just because i can walk across an ice rink on leather soles doesnt mean i'm ever going to. if the experiance of walking on ice and snow is new, use footwear meant to help you from slipping. plus they hold up better to road salts and deicing chemiclas if they're used there.
If you don't have a car that can drive in snow, don't drive in snow.
Last blizzard I was in, I had to pull over to try to help two people get up a small hill.
The first woman was afraid to steer while me and and a tow truck driver pushed her up. She wanted one of us to steer her car, but that just couldn't happen. She ended up paying the tow truck driver more than $300 to tow her.
While that was going on, a Honda Civic ended up sliding backwards down the hill. I pushed that one about 100ft along the road until it leveled out enough to move on its own.
We have a Civic, but it sits in the driveway for blizzards.
If you get serious snow where you're moving, and you have to drive, get something with all wheel drive. Just remember that all wheel drive doesn't mean you can stop. You still need to drive like a Granny in Sunday church traffic.
I had a Yaris and a Prius and they did great in snow. They just need snow tires. A sedan with snow tires will do better than a suv with all season tires any day of the week.
Civics are amazing in the level of snow Connecticut gets if you have the right tires
Yeah, pretty sure a Civic with winter tyres is pretty capable as long as it doesn't bottom out on the snow or try to drive on solid ice
Keep in your trunk the following: a portable snow shovel, an ice scraper, a window snow brush, a spare set of gloves, one of those emergency mylar blankets, a little spray-bottle of deicer, an extra jug of wiper fluid.
My mom would also suggest a heavy blanket, and maybe a candle / matches / lighter. But the candle could cause a fire if you aren't careful.
Just going to throw out that electric heaters are the most expensive/least efficient way to heat electrically.
If you’re in the US, you can get a partial credit for improving windows, doors, and insulation (always the best first step).
You or your landlord can also get up to a $3000 credit toward a central heat pump system, which gives 3-4x the delivered heat for a given amount of electricity.
Heat pumps are also electric. The term that you guys want is "electric resistance heaters".
In warmer weather, mind the geese. They're really fucking aggressive!
Regularly go through a car wash WITH UNDERCARRIAGE CLEANING or your car will be ruined by the road salt and rust.
Find a snow brush long enough to reach every part of your vehicle, buy two; keep one inside your home and one in the vehicle at all times until the weather is consistently above 50f.
You can be pulled over in places for not completely clearing snow off your vehicle; it will fly off in chunks that can smash windshields of others.
Dress warmly, but not so warm as to sweat. Sweat is moisture, moisture freezes, you'll be colder than if you had dressed lighter. Multiple thinner layers, with a moisture wicking innermost layer to keep it off your skin.
Everywhere will absolutely blast the heater in every office and store, so if you're going to be outside very little, probably best to leave the heavy coat in the car.
Special care has to be taken in whatever house you live in to protect your plumbing from freezing. Generally most places in snow zones will be built with freeze protection in mind so you won't need to do too much. But exposed faucets (even frost free types) can freeze and burst back inside your walls, as can any other exposed pipe, or even those not exposed if your house loses it's source of heat. A burst pipe floods everything and will ruin your house.
Additional prep should be taken to make sure you can maintain house heat even if the power goes out for an extended period of time due to snowfall taking out trees onto power lines. Should have some form of non electric heat that can be used indoors safely, e.g a wood stove, or have a generator with at least 24hr of reserve fuel that can run your furnace for a few hours at a time (assuming propane or oil furnace, and not a heat pump or electric resistive furnace).
Snowshoeing is super fun. Snowboarding is rad. Fatbiking is awesome. Get the right clothing and gear to enjoy the season.
If you have gas motor equipment in your garage (mower, snowplow, leafblower, boat), you should try to winterize it with specific stabilizers, otherwise you will have a hard time starting it in the spring.
Wear layers, layers, layers and a proper winter jacket on top. Winter mittens or gloves, a hat, scarf, neck warmer, balaclava or face covering, ear muffs, snow pants, could all be stuff you need depending on how far north you go and how thick the snow piles up. Almost universally in cold climates you will need proper boots.
Similar to Humidex, there's a value called wind chill, because the layer of heat you radiate gets blown away making you feel colder. Pay attention to that, and remember that hands and ears left exposed will get frostbite after some time. You can find charts online (Celsius and Fahrenheit).
Watch for black ice on roads and sidewalks, it looks just "wet" but it is very slippery ice. Use road salt or other de-icing compounds on your walkways and driveways so that you and others don't slide around or fall.
A bunch of driving stuff:
Do NOT go posted speed on roads that aren't fully cleared. In reduced visibility conditions like blizzards you might have to go half the usual freeway speed or less, with flashers on and follow the car in front. It's best to avoid driving in snowstorms.
Winter tires may be required in some areas, but they are strongly recommended even if not. Leave a safety kit and brush in the car, because in remote areas it may be an entire day before a tow can even get to you. Have blankets in the car in winter.
Test recovery out of a slide in a safe place so you know what to do in a pinch. You don't have to go too fast, just somewhere that doesn't get cleared well with no obstacles to crash into like a rarely cleared parking lot. Two modes are: brake fail going straight (with my old car you needed to be light but steady on the brakes for best effectiveness), and a turn going wider than you expected. The car will not respond to sudden maneuvers like you would expect on a clear surface.
All season tires aren't for all seasons, get real snow tires. They work better in the cold in general even if its not snowing out. 4 wheel drive doesn't matter once you're moving.
Stack up on basic meds for when you catch cold. You're likely to have it a lot, it's kinda normal.
Also, if you're gonna live in an area with central heating, make sure heaters in your home are fully operational and don't need to have air removed. They should be hot all throughout their surface.
Watch out for freezing rain as the sidewalks become scary.
Cross-country skiing is fun! I think so, anyway. Take it easy, don't expect to be super good at it right away, et cetera, but maybe try out whichever winter sports appeal to you. What everyone else said, but also don't forget to go outside and enjoy yourself sometimes.
I would have liked to know if it snows so that I won't move there
Keep your torso warm with layers and don't get wet
Im addition to the other tools to dig your car out, fill a large sealable bag or jug with a mix of sand and road-salt and leave it in your trunk/boot. If you end up haveing trouble getting traction when you start the car on a hill or have to get up a small lip around your tires, throw the mix under the drive train tires to help get you out of the hole.
What is north for you? I see so many tips being the dumbest things I've ever heard of.
Like plastic wrap on your windows. Sounds like something stupid Americans does instead of buying proper insulated windows.
Not saying I'm a expert. But I am a Swede and deal with snow and cold every year.
Lots of houses/apartments in places like Boston, etc. have old, drafty windows that landlords don’t bother to improve. Lots of hardware stores here sell kits containing double-sided tape and sheets of a special type of plastic. You surround the window with tape, place the plastic over it, then use a hot hair dryer to shrink the plastic until it’s snug. You can hardly see the plastic if you do it right, and it does a great job of dealing with drafts.
The US. Got it. Say no more.
You should see the difference in available windows in the states vs Europe. Its like you are in the 23rd century and we are still in the 19th. Our boomer class raced all the way to the bottom to increase profits, so many things are just cheap plastic here. We can special order windows like you have, if you want to spend $4000 per window.
What you consider normal is exotic here.
Windows like we have? It's just two panes of glass with a gap between the panes for air to act as an insulant.
Even with plastic windows, you can have two panes with a gap and it will work too.
I believe you. I just really struggle to comprehend that not being standard in parta where you get snow and cold. Or it being considered "extra". It's not alien technology. It's two panes with a gap between them. That's it.
Seriously, clearing snow isn't just for your visibility. It's illegal here (and presumably other places) to leave any snow at all on your car because it will come off and is very likely to affect the visibility of another driver at high speeds.
I'd add that, while not strictly required, one of those total car snow covers really does come in handy: https://www.amazon.ca/kayme-Waterproof-Protection-Automobiles-Universal/dp/B09FLKGLCW
That reminds me, I should set a reminder to charge the batteries for mine.
Also your car needs real winter tires, preferably studded.