Coping with the weather
 

Hi,

We are planning our move to Winnipeg for April this year, this is for a number of reasons including shipping a dog and flight restrictions!

One of the things that is on our mind is coping with the extremities of weather. Whilst we are both English and have experienced British winters we are aware that this will very much equate to dipping in our toe when it comes to the -22 and less temperatures in Winnipeg during winter.

At least going in April will mean missing the worst of the winter this year.

I was wondering if anyone can give any tips on coping and preparing for winter?

We have two young girls (aged 4 years and 18 months) and a German Shepherd to settle in.

What clothes are a must? Any particular stores (I was taken with MEC when I was over in August)? Anything to consider when buying a car? Generally navigating on a daily basis around the city? etc.

Thanks for any help.

John

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Apologies I now wonder if I should have posted this into the Maple Leaf forum?

If I should, could some kind moderator please move it as I don't seem to be able to!

Thanks,

John

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Had already done it! But TML isn't the right place either, that's for off topic chat. Any 'life in Canada' type questions should be posted here in the main Camada forum.

If in doubt, read the 'Newcomers' sticky thread (link in my signature) which includes info on what part of the forum is for what.

HTH.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Oh dear, I am having a bad day in the office! Thanks for correcting me, I hadn't considered the main forum :o !

Will re-read the sticky thread.

John

Re: Coping with the weather
 

just don't stress yourselve out and listen to Winnipegers? :). You can buy the right clothes in pretty much any clothing store..it doesn't have to be MEC (although I admit, nice stuff there) ..as there are cheaper options.
Arriving in April means winterclothing is probably on sale..good timing to stock up. And btw.. -22 C won't feel as cold as it would in the UK, it's a way dryer cold and when the sun is shining it's just gorgeous (with wind..it can get ugly) ;).

a car? a fuel efficient one? Nope, especially in the city, you don't need a big 4x4 ....even though it seems to be the dream of lot of ppl..
A good pair of winter tires is suggested though...once snow starts to fall.

Watch the locals ..talk to them and learn...

Re: Coping with the weather
 

we are in Ottawa and had -30 with the wind chill - 40 for the best part of last week. I got my jacket at Canadian tire a couple years ago and it kept me warm. The girls have good snowsuits (columbia / etirel / etc.) you can get them reduced in April in Sport check or any other sport shop, that's when we "stock" up for the next winter lol. You defo need proper winter boots. Best a Canadian made brand like Sorel, Kamik or Cougar. I got them all fleece hats that have a velcro strap under the chin and cover most of their little faces ( I got them at Old Navy or the children's place). Winter tires and a block heater for the car. We drive a Dodge Grand Caravan and it never let us down even with the extreme temps. Winnipeg will have more of the extreme cold days as Ottawa does get some "warmer" (= -8/-12) days in between the very cold to recover lol. The locals will know where to get what don't worry. The cold is not that bad as long as you are dressed warm.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Layering is the key. For the really cold days you want long underwear - think sexy thermals lol. For anything upto -20 no windchill, layers wont be necessary unless your hanging around outside. Fleece layers also help retain heat without getting wet.

For outerwear down is the warmest per weight ratio than any other filling. Look for 800 fill power for really light weight stuff, I would also say check weather ratings and dont buy anything less than -17 rating. Fibrefill isn't temperature rated, dunno why.

Get sjow suitsnfornthe kids sears or walmart stuff should be fine, kids in school in my bit of canada anyway are expected to be able to stay outside until it hits-21.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Here the kids stay outside until we get around - 15 without wind chill. Warmth wise I agree Canadian Tire, Walmart or Loblaws is just fine. Especially for adult jackets, unless you want to go skiing etc. What I find is the brand snowsuits like Columbia have features that come in handy. Like the inside fleece up to the neck. The higher and tighter closure around the neck. The Columbia snowpants have the fleece on the top half of the pants so the kidneys are kept warm and the shirts can't wriggle out.
Our 15 month old has a Loblaws snowsuit and is snug and warm the other 2 (4 and 3) have Etirel ones as they are more active, toboganning, skating and rolling in the snow. And I agree fleece is great!
I check the temp ratings. The kids' snow boots have a - 40 rating! I love Kamik as they come with the fleece inside shoe. So when it does get wet you can take it out and dry it. If you want to hand it down to the next child just buy a new inside fleece, that's much cheaper than new boots. They are made in Canada but so are Cougar and Sorel.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Sorel are made in China. I expect the competing brands are too.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

As your moving in April i would be more worried about mosquito season than winter!!

Re: Coping with the weather
 

No Kamik is definitely made in Canada and I am pretty sure Cougar is, too. That's why I assumed Sorel would be, too.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Four snuggles and stay home till June.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Just focus on the car. Plenty of time to buy winter clothes once you have had a chance to speak and see fellow Winnipegers. It's a hotbed of fashion you know!

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Kamik's website doesn't explicitly say so but, yes, it seems likely. Cougar's website is gobsmackingly awful, I suppose they might be a BC company as it has that desperately hip David Suzukish look to it, I couldn't stave off a headache long enough to read the text.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

:lol: I have the cardboard box where the boots came in at home (store them in it during the summer) and it says it on the Kamik box/label and I am pretty sure it said it on the Cougar one, too.
I've no clue how the website looks like but I think I'll give it a miss ;)

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Had to look at the Cougar website after a comment like that. (And thankfully old DS himself doesn't make an appearance).

Presumably the "desperately hip" part is that full screen video showing West Coast models doing their thing under a 1970-s faux home movie filter. The kind of effects you can get with Instagram.

It's a bizzare trend that in 2013 hip films and photos have to be digitally altered (and even directed) to appear as if they were shot 40 years ago on old cine cameras. The reality is that good lightweight video technology existed in the 80's and digital cameras in the 90's so why all this fake lo-fi imagery.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Wow, thank you all for your good advice. It is really appreciated.

Re the car - we are planning on doing a fair bit of travelling around and so was thinking of getting an SUV so that it wouldn't stop due to the weather and we can lug 4 bikes/ski/etc. But like the idea of a Grand Caravan too - my sister has one down in San Jose and it is really useful when the whole family comes to visit.

We went for car size for road presence when we came to New Zealand as we were told the driving skills were a little questionable and therefore size helps! In my visit last year I found driving around Winnipeg to be utterly pleasurable with many courteous drivers. (At this point I would like to apologise to anyone who experienced me missing a stop junction in August. I wasn't being inconsiderate, I really didn't see those two junctions!). I found the speed of driving to be (generally) significantly reduced. Maybe I caught it on a good day?

Thanks again for all your responses.

John

Re: Coping with the weather
 

If you want a reasonable priced 4x4 look at the Hyundai Santa Fe or the Mitsubishi Outlander, that one even offers a 7 seater version. Or go for a truck the Ford F150 i.e.
The new Grand Caravan is not bad it even comes with the towing package up to 3500lbs.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Ok first thing about cold weather clothing is - what is your expectation of being outside?

minus -22c wind chill and planning to go from the house to the car to the Mall
UK sweater & jacket, normal shoes. plus Hat and scarf for the little 2.
Dad drops at door parks car.
When you get to the mall it's +22c, and now you have to carry everything, so don't wear everything just have an emergency blanket box in the car.
Leaving the mall everyone wrap and walk to the car you'll hardly notice as your going be hot.

Walking the dog for 30 minutes or more,
Jacket, 3in1 is good fleece inner layer wind breaker and padded outside
Snow pants, for mum and dad as well, Gloves, hats, scarf, snow boots or hiking boots -- 1 PAIR OF SOCKS you need the air space in your shoes --
plastic bags - act as a good wind proof over hands and head if the wind blows to much through the knitted toques and clean ups.

Dog will probably either love the snow upto about -20c not want to go in after that it will be go out do the business and go straight back to the door.

Biggest thing with little ones is they don't warm the air up so well when breathing in and they also overheat in malls. in push chair the kids get a blanket thrown over the top like a parrot.

When going to the Park slides around -10 to -20 you'll wear the cold weather gear for the -20 but have it open more and going up and down the hill get to feel warm. Be careful you are still playing in a freezer.

I haven't worn Snow boots for 10 years, walked home 800m from the bus stop and the jean covered legs were not doing too good.
The body and feet were fine.
Had 2 hats cloth beanie and woolly hat
Had Fleece - windproof - over coat
karrimoi uk hiking shoes 1 pair of normal fluffy tube socks.
-40 windchill out for 20 minutes. Definitely should have packed the snow pants.

PS
When the mossies come, use an used teabag - takes the itch away and doesn't contain the chemicals. Dab it on when cold kids hold on it.

Have fun and if you go to Kids City - say hi to my daughter. You'll know which one.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Don't listen to these people John.

I landed December 22 and I was sweltering! It was a balmy -40 at the time and it felt like I was in the bahamas.

Winnipeg is a place that although is cold when they tell you what the temperature is on T.V. it isn't that cold in reality!

Shorts and T-shirt for about 8 months of the year and then when it gets real cold you find your jeans and jumper otherwise you're cushdy.

Just don't go out for longer than a few minutes at a time cause you'll end up with dry itchy skin (a condition called frostbite apparently).

Oh and hopefully you will see the 3rd year with a low mosquito population ;).

Re: Coping with the weather
 

I would go with the minivan over the SUV.

Yes SUVs do drive better but the van is bigger usually has 'fold away' seats so it's more useful for cargo and it's cheaper on gas (also cheaper in general to buy).

I have the Grand caravan and the only problem I have had with it is the battery after 6 years keeps freezing in winter, it is the only car I have owned that wouldn't start on a cold day so I am guessing it offers little protection from the environment. But other than that it has done the business for us!

Re: Coping with the weather
 

no relevance for british winters

spent 30 yrs living in NE of Scotland

anyone who has been through Braemar or Peterhead in depths of winter, will have an idea of what cold is in UK - esp in 70s/80s when weather was more 'predicatable'

am in Calgary, so understand even this is way easier then Winterpeg

- have just discovered the joys of feet & hand warmers for skiing - especially the kids - they do outdoor hockey also

- this past weekend a joy though as hovering around 0

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Arrive on January 1st (too late) would have been my advice, that way you only have to go through a few months of it.

There's nothing quite as fun as moving house in -20.

What happens basically is that over time people develop psychological coping mechanisms and convince themselves it's not as bad as it really is, even though it is. However I meet strong-minded people who've lived in Alberta all their lives and they moan about it just as much as any foreigner who has just arrived would. Moaning seems to help. Not sure why. Another coping mechanism.

Hide out in the basement with no windows with the heating on full blast seems to be a popular one. Regular vacations to Mexico is another.

I notice over the winter that people seem to lose their social skills, which I think is why Stampede is so popular, if it didn't exist the birth rate would be much lower. :p

Also be careful of "cabin fever", it definitely does exist. I remember during one particularly bad "cold snap" that went on for ages I couldn't stand it anymore and I went out for a lengthy walk which turned out to be a very unwise idea.

As for clothing it depends on how long you're going to be outside. More than ten minutes or so when it is below -15 you need serious winter clothing.

Re: Coping with the weather
 

"but its a dry cold - and at least the sun is shining" is another coping mechanism

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Hockey hockey hockey... it's really cold outside... HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY... it's still really cold outside...HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY... it's still really cold outside...HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY... :blink:

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Except for this year, when the last day of the Stanley Cup Finals could be 28 June! How they will keep the ice in the rink, if one of the "warm region" teams makes it, is anybodies' guess!

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Refridgeration, same way they usually keep the ice there...

Cold in a hot climate is no more technically challenging than warm in a cold climate.

I well remember the scathing reply I got when I wondered about the scantily clad waitresses in the place we were eating during my interview here way back when.... "We do have heating here you know:rolleyes:"



Anyway, how to cope with the climate... dress appropriately. That means layers. Often many layers.

Find something to do. I actively enjoy winter now I ski, I hate the warm spells which mean loss of snow on the hill. Its bizarre how my attitude has changed.

Best advice for dealing with the climate is make sure you have central air, that first summer is going to be miserable otherwise:D

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Is that a suggestion that the summers can get pretty hot? (and as such will require cool air pumped around to stay comfortable?)

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Oh god yeah, you have no idea. In ontario anyway. The humidity is the killer.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...14Dec05016.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...k/DSCF0140.jpg

Re: Coping with the weather
 

I had that before about the humidity - I guess this is where Alberta is different (Drier? Less sticky?)

Re: Coping with the weather
 

Alberta can get hot during the summer, I wouldn't say it is humid though, my hygrometer never gets above 37% RH. The climate is described as semi-arid, which basically means really dry during the winter and fairly normal during the summer.

The problem in Alberta is that the whole of July, say, might be hot enough to have AC but it's not common in Alberta to have central AC. Beware of this if you rent a house or buy one because there are some really crap AC setups that people have that make lots of noise. In condos you're basically restricted to stand-up portable AC units if there is no central AC, window-mounted AC is usually banned.

You never complain about being hot in Alberta. Bit of a faux pas. What people usually say is: "I'm going down to the basement for a spell." :lol: Or, "I'm going to the mall to have my lunch." Or, "I'm going to have a look around Canadian Tire."