gryphea

OK - I am beginning to get seriously worried about these temps as we land on friday and the kiddies aren't totally geared up for it. They do have ski stuff etc- so I think we will be OK for mad dashes to the car. But from speaking to people when we were there , they said there are now only 5-15 cold days a year , meaning cold as less than -15. On these days do your kids get frostbite instantly if they have any skin showing? or am I being a drama queen? Will their eyes freeze? Clearly as we are about to arrive Calgary will have its coldest winter ever.

Gryph

Almost Canadian

We arrived here in January of this year when it was supposedly very cold. I wouldn't worry too much.

At my kids' school, then continue to play outside until temperatures get below -20 and understand that exposed skin will freeze at temperatures below -18. I frequently dashed to our post box and back in temperatures below -18 with just a t-shirt on last year and, whilst I would not want to go too much further than the 200m round trip it consisted of, I am still here to tell the tale.

You and your children will be just fine in warm "English" winter clothes until you can get attire more suitable which, in any event, will consist of a snow suit for your children and a warmer hat and gloves for you

Judy in Calgary

Gryph, if your kids have ski clothes, they'll be fine for short periods outdoors -- walking from a parking lot to an adjacent shopping mall, walking from the car, up the front path, to someone's house, and so on.

Sorry, didn't notice that Almost Canadian already had addressed this point.

gryphea

OK, slightly reassured - thanks. I had no idea kids could still play out at -20, I just had some sort of a feeling they stopped at -15. And your post dash has partly answered my canada post question. Fairly impressed with you post box dash at these temps and reckon you probably manage it quite quickly!

Gryph

gryphea

I know, I know I am just panicing! Their ski gear isn't that great- but like you say hopefully will suffice. I was just worried aobut their rosy cheeks!

Gryph

ann m

Yeah, but we've got heating, and everything at our house - dead posh !! Wasn't thinking of hosting it in the back garden

Steve_P

What?

No Bar-B-Que?

ann m

Problem is Steve - that we're not quite fully integrated yet - so a BBQ in -10 is not quite within my capabilities yet - need another winter or two yet to acclimatise

Flossie and Jim

It will probably be something like this (scroll to about 4 minutes in):
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ob12Ui...eature=related
Flossie

gryphea

Hi Guys- thanks for the reassurances. Have now checked again and its now a balmy -13 on saturday rather than 18. SUnday has warmed up to -17 from -19 and then the beginning of the week is postiviely toasting with weds being 0!! This shall be our car buying day. or do you buy them indoors?

Gryph

Alberta_Rose

Keep checking the weather .... the forecasts change hourly and then they usually get it wrong!

My son (aged 16) didn't get to school today .... I didn't find out til I got home, but he apparently waited for his school bus for over 50 minutes before giving up as he could no longer feel his hands and feet!

It seems the stoopid driver went the wrong way and missed a bunch of stops!

Londonlady108

My son still goes around in a T-shirt and at a push he kind of throws on his hoodie - we are in Cochrane so we are having the -15 - everything is do-able once you've done it - wow that was very profound!!!! You will be fine Gryph!!! Anyways it is so cold that you go numb after the first 2 minutes and can't feel a thing!! Yep then 0 or 2 degrees does seem positively toasty, I now understand why I have seen people in T-shirts on days of 5 or 6 after a cold spell. Crazy Canuks hey???!!!

joelsa

I'm amazed at what some of the teenagers wear. Girls with their midriff showing or capri pants and silly little shoes - in -15
In the gas station the other day a boy of about 16, wearing only a hoodie, stood under the warm air by the door for ages. Still i suppose teenagers will be teenagers after all!

joelsa

Anne M

I hope it all goes really well for you on Saturday, sorry i can't be there, but will be thinking of you all. Must be a bit nerveracking and exciting at the same time, will be good to put faces to names. I hope someone takes some piccies and puts them in the Gallery.
Hope you (all) have a great time.

Jo xx

Helen Parnell

This sounds exactly like my son.... are we related

The scouts in cochrane still going camping up to a temp or around -20. They won't go at -30. When they go they still sleep in the tents or build quinzes (igoo sort of shelters) which are warmer than the tents.