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  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

    • When walking on ice, at least the very slippery kind, use short steps. It reduces the chance of slipping.
    • And if you do slip and begin to fall, take it like a champ and sit down gracefully. The most comedic sights are the ones flailing to try and stay uptight.
    • Buy a snow shovel.
    • There are many expensive things sold as ice and snow thawers, but these are usually just variations of salt and gravel. Whatever salt you can buy in bulk at the grocery store works just fine. And any sand/gravel that you can find in the summer will do.
    • When shoveling snow, clear a wider path than what you think you'll need. A narrow strip is hard to keep clear after a while of heavy snowfall.
    • If you have a car, make sure to have proper winter tires. If you do, you won't have to bother with snow chains.
    • Car batteries don't like the cold. Make sure yours can hold charge well. Overdoing it with AmpHours is also a bonus.
    • Get a scraper to remove ice from your windshield.
    • Wet feet become cold feet. Stay dry. Wool socks are amazing at keeping your feet both warm and dry.

  • 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.

  • Depends how much it snows and how cold it gets. Much of this may sound over-cautious if your winters are mild.

    • Most cities/towns have by-laws regulating property owners clear and rock-salt their walkways within a set amount of time after snow has ceased falling,
    • If you use a shovel, get an ergonomic one. It is very easy to hurt your back clearing snow. No matter how long you wait, the plow always comes AFTER you've cleared your driveway,
    • If you have kids, get into the routine of checking local news for 'snow days', or in other words the schools have announced they are closed due to poor road conditions,
    • Keep an eye on your (and I guess your neighbours if you want to be helpful) house' roof and make sure the snow doesn't build up too much as this can cause damage/leaks/collapses if it gets too heavy

  • 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 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.

  • 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!

    • If you're the owner of the home, know what bylaws there are regarding snow removal near your home. Where I live you can get a fine + snow removal costs if you aren't reasonably prompt getting snow off the sidewalk.

    • Snowy surfaces (sidewalks, driveways, roads) are often icy surfaces = slip and fall hazard. This is especially serious for older folks but it can hurt/injure at any age. This gets worse if it snows then melts then refreezes. Don't run if you don't have to. Sand/grit on these surfaces can help, and in my area you can get sand for free at certain town facilities.

    • Frostbite on exposed skin is a genuine hazard. Look up the weather forecast when it's cold and take time-to-frostbite warnings seriously.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

    • Cover any exposed faucets with a foam cover (any hardware store will have them)
    • Never let the inside of your house drop below 55F/12C; that internal heat seeps into the walls and floor and is what keeps your plumbing working.
    • Check if the house has a crawlspace that requires additional heating to prevent freezing, and make sure any pipes in said crawlspace are fully insulated with foam tape and ideally have "pipe tape" or cable heaters under the insulation and plugged in.
    • If you're in an area that relies on ground water wells rather than a city supply, you may also have a pump house outbuilding that requires heating.
    • A chicken brooder lamp like this with a 100w incandescent lightbulb or 250w infrared heat lamp (depending on level of insulation and outside temperatures) in it is the best way to safely heat these small spaces with minimal fire risk.

    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).

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