How are you handling cold weather?

[StressLess]

How are our friends in the northern US and Canada handling these extreme temperatures? I saw single digits and below zero in many places.

We're going through our usual roller coaster of 50's and heavy rain and 40's this week.

Do you have to stay in during very cold weather? Are stores open for those of you brave enough to do last minute shopping?

What do you do to make times like that bearable?

Sending up warm thoughts to you.

 

[MrsSoup]

Our stores are open. It's in the teens here though. We are supposed to get slammed tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night with snow. I made a last minute trip today to pick up some meat just in case we get stuck, everything else we're good on.

I like to stay in when it's super cold outside, which it will be starting tonight and for the next several days. However, that's not always possible. So we'll see.

 

[luludou]

It's not so bad here yet. -6C this morning. Stores don't close even at -30 and more... just have to watch out for the roads though.

But I do want to buy a crank radio just in case and we have firewood if we run out of electricity.

Just this morning the heat wasn't working in the van!! That was cold!! DH will take a look tonight (it was working fine yesterday)

 

[MrsSoup]

Since Lucie mentioned it, I thought I would add in that we also have a crank radio and plenty of candles on hand and flashlights just in case of power outages. Our van also has a regular plug-in inside it so we could use that to power things if we needed like phone chargers, etc. Unfortunately we don't have a fireplace inside but we do have a fire pit outside that we could move to the garage if we got really desperate and plenty of wood laying around.

Another thing to think about is salt for the driveways and walks. Luckily we get it free at our housing office since we live on base, which reminds me I need to stop by and pick some up.

 

[Homekeepn]

We had a record temp of 69 degrees on Wednesday while it was snowing in Texas. Then on Saturday we got 4-5 inches of snow. Today it is 34 degrees and partly cloudy. It is always best to be prepared for anything. Our stores won't close for cold weather only, sometimes during blizzards though.

 

[teachermomof2]

After living in this area for my entire life, you kind of just get used to the extremes in the winter months. It's now 28 degrees out, with ice storms expected overnight. I'm hoping for a delay tomorrow if the ice hits.

Our stores stay open during the cold temps, and generally only shut down in severe snow emergencies. I have candles everywhere and a flashlight handy. We usually light a fire when it gets in the teens to supplement the heat.

Stay warm!

 

[Cathymac]

This is fascinating stuff for a southern girl! We are experiencing 15 degree below normal temps and hopefully some winter precipitation before spring. My kids barely remember snow! I'm holding out for a white Christmas! I don't know if I'd be as excited if we had feet of snow on end, but the few inches we get sure is fun to play in!! The best part is that a week is as long as I can ever remember snow lasting around here! Our problem is we mostly get ice and that's so dangerous.

Keep the thoughts coming! This is great stuff!

 

[jackfrosty]

The kids are loving the snow that finally came on the weekend!I'm afraid it will be gone on Thurs. as I've heard we are going up to +10 C,(50F). We need to get some propane in case power goes out. There were a few times last year when it was too cold for kids to go out at school-hopefully we won't get too much of that this year!

 

[SparkleNana]

For us --- the worst thing is the ice. For one thing, big ice storms cause lots of trees & branches to come down -- taking out the power lines. Being without electricity during winter is NO fun! For another --- ANYONE can fall on the ice -- in a quick second! Our emergency rooms are full of people with broken wrists, broken arms, head injuries -- sometimes from just stepping out their front door to get the morning newspaper.

 

[MinnieCo]

After this cold spell, I"m rethinking my secret desire to move to Alaska..LOL

 

[jyclassy]

It only comes once a year.lol Hoping for a white christmas tho. jy

 

[Cindylouwho]

Thank you for the warm thoughts! It is a balmy 18 degrees here (up from 12 degrees yesterday morning). But it is dry here in northern Washington -- not like you poor foks further east. Our dry weather ends this weekend though. Rain is coming in and it will hit the 30s. Paranoid it will snow. That would completely do me in on Christmas prep (that happened last year and nearly sunk me). My kids are praying for snow - they are SO eager to build snowmen! I'm completely dressed in thermals and polar fleece IN the house. We have a raging fire going in the fireplace but parts of the house can't get above 62 because we have so many windows. Kicking ourselves for choosing a fireplace over a wood stove. But we have power, endless amounts of firewood and I am COMPLETELY stocked up after that storm thread we had in the Fall. That got me in gear early. Now I just need a brick-layer to cover up all these windows.

 

[happy2bme]

After the blizzard we had last weekend and the crazy freezing temperatures this week, DH came up with a great idea. Sell the house, buy a motor home, head to somewhere warm during the winter and come back for the summer.

Not a bad idea!!

 

[SparkleNana]

A lot of people do this, happy2beme! i know people who do this. There are RV parks where people have permanent spots for year-round -- although they are only there for half the year. Also -- I know one couple that brings their really big RV up to stay at one of their childrens' properties for the spring/sumer/fall. I think it works best when you have really good friends/relatives at both locations. To keep an eye on things whn you are in the "other" place.

 

[angelpugs]

Between the snow we got and the cold it's nice to just stay inside and bake and watch christmas movies as i really don't like the cold but,i'm glad we're going to have a white christmas.:bigsnow::sleigh::rnament:

 

[jackfrosty]

Warm and rainy here today but snow forecast for tomorrow!

 

[Gingerbread Elf]

We are buried under 15 inches of snow and the temps are hovering at -7 below..The good thing is the sky is clear and the blizzard winds have moved on... My office is closed again today.. 2 days in a row and tomorrow is my vacation day so woohoo I have a long weekend.. the stores were closed yesterday but will be open today, all I have to do is dig out the car....

 

[StressLess]

Wow, you really have to think differently when you are in such cold climates. We had our first cold night (20's for us). The wind today has been the hardest part. My kids have been sick this week. So, low temperatures make it harder to take them out when we have to do so.
I ordered a propane hot plate after the fall thread. I've got to get a couple of those propane cans. Our worst weather (ice) always seems to come by surprise.

 

[Little Elf]

Here on the prairies in Canada we got dumped with lots of snow last weekend and this week has been bitterly cold. It will warm up a little to -20 to -25 celcius for a day or two but it will drop back down to a low of -34 to -39 celcius over the weekend. Unfortunately I have to walk everywhere so when it gets into the -30's we all stay home which sucks as I have so much to do outside but have to walk everywhere to get it done.

 

[AuntJamelle]

We have had cold weather hit hard over the last few days and it is no fun trying to walk outside right now - that is for sure!

Makes it very hard to breathe in the wind!

But the house is stocked with plenty of food, we also have a generator if the power goes out - granted we have to keep it supplied with gasoline, but our power has never been out for more than a day or so.

In any case, we are just wearing plenty of layers, keeping extra blankets and water in our cars, emergency road kits, hand warmer packets, etc.

I am usually warm all of the time and keep turning our heat DOWN even in this weather - one more reason to be very glad I am not in my 3rd tri during the summer months - I'd be so grumpy from the heat!

I am just hoping that we will have snow for Christmas! So many years we get snow right about now and then it all melts before Christmas - it drives me nuts! Then it comes back just in time to ruin New Years plans - {sigh}

Hopefully it will NOT be like that this year!