A Floridian's Guide to Living Someplace Very Very Cold

When I moved to Montana in 2003, a lot of well-meaning cold natives gave me "advice" that was pretty obvious, and missed out on giving me advice that would actually have prevented me from making a number of disastrous mistakes. So here are about a dozen /actual/ secrets that no one tells you, mostly because they have no idea that people raised in warm places don't know about them.

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[erikalane]

I moved from Florida to Indiana last year, and I was so proud when I bought my first ice scraper. I was PREPARED and winter could SUCK IT. I was ready. I was unstoppable. I put it in the trunk of my car and waited for the first time my windshield frosted over. When it happened, I went to my car, and tried to open my trunk. My trunk was frozen shut. My trunk was frozen? Shut? I did not know my trunk could freeze shut. I was not prepared. When I finally showed up to work (late) and told my coworkers what happened, they all nodded knowingly. I was like, you have to tell me all the things you think are common knowledge because I 👏🏻 DON’T 👏🏻 KNOW 👏🏻 ANYTHING 👏🏻

[PrimroseFrost]

Can confirm that these are accurate and useful. Bonus tip: Don't care about other people making fun of your cold tolerance. Put on warm clothes and accessories (hat, scarf, boots, gloves, whatever) when you need them, not when other people start wearing them. Like he said with the gloves, it's easier to stay warm than to warm up, and it's easier to keep skin healthy than to heal dry, chapped skin.

[gramthefirst]

I’ve lived in Canada all my life, and I loved this! More tips:
-always have blankets and winter gear in your car, in case you get stuck in the ditch.
-keep your phone close to your body to keep it warm, so the battery doesn’t drain as fast.
-sunglasses are more useful for driving in the winter because on sunny days, the sun reflecting off the ice can be blindingly bright.

[phelanii]

Here are a few more tips!!
- A hat is your best friend. Never leave your house without one.
- Small steps on ice and you won't fall twice.
- Once you come inside, don't forget to put your boots someplace warm. I accidentally left my boots in the garage once and the next morning my feet were blocks of ice. Also put your clothes somewhere to dry off and warm up.
- If you have to get somewhere on foot, leave early. You'll walk much slower than you expect, and I was late more than once because I forgot this.
- If your car has to stand outside, put an old blanket on the windshield. It won't freeze to the glass and you won't have to scrape off snow and ice in the morning.
- Drink lots of water!! Staying hydrated is as important during the winter as it is in summer.
- Make sure to keep your immune system strong. Warm drinks, lots of vitamin C, healthy food, flu shots, you know what you have to do.
- If you do get sick, stay at home. If you do not *have to* go outside, it's better not to infect others and make yourself feel worse.
- Ginger tea is a godsend. Grate or slice up a small knob of ginger, pour hot water over it, then let it steep for a few minutes. Drain it, add some honey and lemon and - presto - you have a health elixir in your hands! It's good for a sore throat, infected sinuses, runny nose and upset stomach.

Good luck! Have fun making snowmen! :D

[simsamsammie]

*Bonus tip for walking on ice:*
If there is snow on the sidewalk or next to the sidewalk, WALK ON THE SNOW. Snow is wet and might get in your boots but being cold and wet is better than fall and ouch

[TheGyreMadHatter]

I was told something beautiful about winter once.

Winter is a palate cleanser. The chaos of smells and colors and humidity and just pure sensation of summer is delightful but also overwhelming.

Winter allows for quiet, for reflection, for emptiness, and for stillness. When you walk through a winter landscape, it allows you to reset.

So embrace winter as a time to settle yourself and recharge.

[ashko]

Hank! My husband who is Russian says you left out the very important point to not use your phone when it's - 20 out, as it will not work and then die. 😂

[alechall]

Tips for driving in the snow:
Brake 3 times sooner than you think.

If it looks like the road is wet its probably black ice and will ruin your day.

Hank wasnt kidding about the ice scraper, also get the winter wiper fluid.

Dont assume snow on the side of the road is soft, it could be solid as a rock.

Highways become a free for all, expect cars to be going 65 in the left lane and 25 in the right lane.

Change lanes very slowly because of the ridges that build up in between.

Keep your headlights on all day if its snowing.

Dont jam your brakes when youre going downhill or turning, slow down ahead of time.

If your abs comes on you started braking too late.

Winter tires will make a civic a better snow car than a subaru with all seasons. No joke, if your can afford them, they work. Also they are more grippy when its cold, not just when its snowing.

Biggest tip: your biggest threat is the idiots driving around you, always assume the worst and you wont be surprised.

Sincerely, a guy who used to deliver pizzas in massachusetts

[kn]

As somebody who grew up in Montana and moved to Florida, I find this video hilarious

[adammartinelli]

Only Hank Green has made himself credible enough that I think "43 million bugs per square centimeter, is that so?" before I think about how much 43 million bugs per square centimeter is

[IQzminus]

I’m Swedish here’s my tips for cold whether:
1. Layers sucks. Do you know how long it takes to put on and off those layers multiple times per day for MONTHS.
Get yourself a huge super warm jacket, that is at least somewhat windproof, otherwise the wind will just blow away all the heat you are trying to keep. So you can just put that on, and you are ready to go even if you just had a t-shirt on under you’ll be fine.

2. The most important parts to isolate to retain body heat is around the ribcage and the head.
So having a super warm jacket, will make it so you can skip of wearing ski pants for even down to -20 Celsius
This is the reason you see lots of swedes run around with a hat and jackets designed for polar climates, even though it’s not even close to that cold.

3. It's a good idea to wear some kind of long underpants, like leggings or long johns if it gets like -10 degrees.

4. Icicles may look nice, but they are super dangerous in urban environments. Tall buildings, large iceles (even as long as a person), directly over sidewalks, these things in combination with each other. Not good.
At least here the city actively work to take away the icicles and snow from all roofs. But its not perfect. So it's a good idea to always look up from time to time. And not walk directly under the edge of the roof on sidewalks.
People die and are heavily injured by icicles every year.

5. Keep an eye on your dogs and outdoor cats paws. They can become so dry that they begin to crack. There are special paw moisturizers but really anything that isn't toxic for them to eat will work.

7. Same goes for human hands, even if you have gloves there is a risk your hands will become so dry that they will crack and even bleed. So keep some hand moisturizer next to that chapstick in your pocket.

8. If its between -20 to -30 Celsius (basicly so cold that your eyelids begin to stick together a small bit when you blink) soap bubbles will freeze mid air if you blow some, and you can shatter them. It's pretty awesome, and super fun to play around with. The colder it is the better it works

9. If you have headphones that aren't wireless, than you need to keep that cord inside your jacket. It becomes even more fragile, becomes the cold makes it really stiff and easier to damage the wires inside.

10. Lithium batteries really don't like the cold. If it's like -15 celius a phone can go to 0% battery from just checking the time.
It will get some of it charge back when it becomes warm again. But that takes like 30 minutes. And you don't get the whole charge back.
IPhones have been infamous for being especially bad.
Most modern phones are designed to conduct heat, to keep the smartphones from overheating. But this also makes it so it's quite fast and easy to cool them down below the temperature the can function in.

11. Dont ever ride anything on two wheels when it's snowey or icy. Even if they have winter wheels. The statistics for accidents for the people who use their bikes or motorcycles during winter are really really bad.

[shmowen]

When they say "the secret is layers, " they're not saying, "put more clothes on." They're saying using proper layering will keep you warm. Having wool (preferably) or polyester socks base layer, long johns, hat and scarf, an insulation layer like a down or synthetic puffy, and a waterproof, wind-resistant shell will ensure optimal breatheability and warmth.
Just putting more clothes on will not help because the actual ambient temperature is only one of many factors to worry about when being outside in a cold place. Sweat is your worst enemy, it's not just uncomfortable, it can be deadly, you want your clothes to be breathable and quickly dry any sweat you do produce. Wetness, no matter how many layers you're wearing, getting wet from snow or water will sap all your heat, and also be very uncomfortable. Regular sweaters do almost nothing to block wind, and wind chill often brings temperatures down 10-20 degrees.

[Spargle]

Another recommendation: When it gets very cold trade the gloves for mittens if at all possible. Having your fingers separated increases the surface area that gets cold and makes your hands infinitely colder. Mittens are definitely superior for keeping hands warm and can also often layer with thin gloves for added warmth.

[itshayleymaybe]

Personal tips from personal experience:
-An unexpected winter accessory: Sunglasses. Sun reflecting off the snow can be so freaking bright, you'd think you were a pokemon trainer whiting out. Plus the added wind protection for your eyes is awesome.

-People who find it a little hard to breathe (tight, wheezy) when you're walking outside or when you go from outside to inside, protect your face with a scarf or the top of your jacket. The air you exhale will be warmer than what's outside and will help manage that tightness.

-Keep a sleeping bag or blankets and other supplies in your car. Anyone who's been on the 401 (whaddup canadians) or on a snowy road can see how quickly things can get dangerous. Ending up in a ditch or being stuck due to an accident can get out of hand fast. Be prepared.

[NoWrthNoin]

WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE THE LITTLE ICE SCRAPERS: by a Pennsylvanian

Have the full sized ice scrapers. Yes. Always. Always always always have the full sized ice scrapers. Make sure to have one in the house, the garage, your car, your dog house, horse and buggy... everywhere.

However! ALSO have the little ones. They fit in the glove box and in your bag, are easier to carry in to work... And if you lose the others and your car door is frozen shut, barring you from the only one you have left, then you take out the little one from your bag and chip your way in.

Plus you can give the little ones to someone you find who doesn't have *any* scrapers cuz even that helps decrease world suck by just a littlest bit.

Happy scraping! <3

[MS-icrd]

“If it’s in the teens ... and windy - just give up!” I love this - I LOVE the wind 10 months out of the year ... but the deep winter wind ...NO!

[sarahcrossen]

Iowan/Nebraskan here. Put sandbags in your trunk to give your vehicle better traction on slick roads.

If you need to clean the snow and ice off your car, prepare to leave 10-15 minutes sooner than you normally would otherwise you’ll be late to wherever you’re going.

Check the hourly forecast before you leave! Just because the generic outlook says a high of 27°F doesn’t mean that the high point wasn’t at 2am and the rest of the day is much much colder.

And finally, be practical. Don’t wear skin tight clothing unless you have thick layers over that clothing that you can peel off. And make sure your snow boots are tall, waterproof, and insulated. It’s worth the extra $ for good quality snow boots.

[emilywright-poulin]

If your locks freeze, DO NOT POUR HOT WATER ON THEM. They will just freeze more. Get some lock de-icer. It's like $3 at Wal Mart and it lasts for years. As long as your locks don't freeze every day.

Snow pants may seem "uncool" but you'll really want those when you're shovelling your driveway in a snow storm.

Long underwear is the best invention. Quick walk around the block with your dog? Long underwear. Doing some work in your shed which has no heat? Long underwear. Skiing, snowshoeing, or winter hiking? LONG UNDERWEAR.

[nyokasteenholdt]

As someone who grew up in the Arctic, some of these things I never even though about. 😅
Also: if you are in a very windy place/know it's going to stom, DON'T put the wipers up! Easier to deal with them suck to the window, than broken off.
And don't shy away from using sunglasses in the middle of winter! Sometimes it can be near impossible to see without, because snow is so reflective.

[RangerRuby]

For someone who lives in that colder climate, these tips seem SUPER obvious...But they aren't to southerners. My cousin who lives in Florida and has never seen snow once in her life, would not know to do any of those things. This video is for all you people who have never seen snow.