What to do and what not to do during the coldest time of the year
We are in the middle of the bleak Midwestern winter, and it’s time we addressed a few things.
North Dakota is a climate of extremes; we’ve had tornado warnings and blizzard conditions on the same weekend (thank you, April 2023). Our record low temperature is -60 degrees Fahrenheit and our record high is 121 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow, floods, tornadoes, wind, heat, you name it, we’ve got it (except hurricanes. I’m OK without hurricanes).
Anyway, if you are new to winter here, or this is only your second or third rodeo, there are some hard and fast rules I beg that you please consider as we come out of our recent cold snap. Even if you’ve lived in the snow your entire life, we all need reminders about winter dos and don’ts.
We’ll start with the don’ts:
DO NOT drive if you don’t know what you’re doing. Every snowfall, it seems we all forget how to drive and turn the already icy roads into something even more dangerous. Slow down (but don’t be crazy about it–there’s slow and then there’s painstakingly slow), give yourself extra time to and from your destination, take the turns carefully, go easy on the brakes, and check every intersection a million times before pulling through. Sometimes brakes give out or the ice takes over and even careful drivers can slide through the intersection, so please look out.
DO NOT expect the warm week in January to symbolize a spring thaw. This is a lie. By the following week we will be begging to see temps above zero in the forecast.
DO NOT assume the temperature is actually what outside feels like. As any Midwesterner would say, “if it weren’t for the wind…” Check the windchill and the feels-like temperature before making any decisions based on outdoor activity. Five below zero can feel wonderful without wind, and thirty above zero is nasty when it’s windy.
And now for some do’s:
DO dress for the weather. You will need a coat no matter what you think the weather might be. Shorts are probably not the best option, and sandals are definitely a no-go (unless you like cold, wet feet, then that’s your preference). For me, I always need gloves because my blood circulation seems to forget I have hands that need to be warm along with the rest of my body.
DO scrape the ice off your car. Not only is it hazardous when you can’t see the roads, but when the sun shines, it makes windshield glare all that much worse.
DO enjoy the cozy winter vibes. Curl up with a blanket and a good movie or a book. Make soup and drink something warm. Enjoy the snow while it’s falling, because once it lands, you have to shovel it.
Surviving winter isn’t always much fun, but with patience and a little wisdom, we can safely pull through to spring. We’re all in this together!