How Cold is COLD?
I'm going to DC on Friday and the day weather report has lows of 28 to highs of 51. I have no idea how cold that is! Do I need special shoes or clothing? I've never lived anywhere that has snow, and I'm not even sure I've been anywhere colder than 50!(Fahrenheit) It may hit the 40s in Oakland, but I'm not sure.
I know I'm a wuss because my brother that lives in Wisconsin told me so, he also said I need a snowsuit and snow shoes, but I'm pretty sure he was just making fun of me.
What are you snowbound wintery people folks wearing to protect yourself from the cold? Are layers and a warm wool coat good enough? I'm wondering if I should get lined boots.
ahhaa, thanks! I'm going to go get silk long johns tomorrow. They're very light thermal underwear.
Really, it's one of the best things you can wear, in my opinion, and it was -8 degrees Fahrenheit here about two weeks ago. 
Layers are good. Boots, thick socks, leggings, pants, long sleved shirt, sweater, coat, gloves, scarf, hat. Then you can peel off layers or add more while you are out and about depending on how you feel. You are definitly going to want gloves and scarf and hat and warm socks, the can make all the difference and are easy layers to put on and off while out.
You remind me of a time I took the train down to the bay area years ago, it was below 20 and snowing when I left Portland and when we got into Oakland it was in the low 50's and sunny, while waiting on the platform for my grandparents to pick us up my son (who was about two at the time) and I were hanging out on a bench in the sun in jeans and T shirts, enjoying the warmth. This lady came up to me, shocked, and asked weren't we feezing?! I looked around and saw everyone else just bundled up with coats and scarfs, and just had to laugh.
As a a lifetime new yorker I always dress in layers. my usual daily wear consists of a black tee-shirt and jeans or cargo pants.
Washington D.C. is all concrete so it gets blustery and cold as satan's asshole.
For weather that is cold like the 20's low 30's:
I wear T-Shirt, then a fleece then my warm coat...
.... and a fleece or wool hat that covers my ears.
My wife tends to wear gloves.... I only wear them when I shovel snow.
Sometimes when it gets down to the teens I wear a puffy down vest over my fleece then I throw on the coat.
Men that wear scarves are just men trying to be fashionable, hence the goofy knot they tie in front. You will be able to identify these men in D.C. because these scarves will usually be red or some other bright color and the men will be enjoying the scarves with great satisfaction, along with special muffs that keep the ears warm but do not tussle the hair. Stay away from them because they are likely to be mugged later in the day. Layers are good because you can adapt to the weather each day and if you pop into a joint to eat you can peel off a layer until you are comfortable.
I know you are a woman and the scarf bit doesn't apply to you, I just want you to know whom to push in front of a mugger should the need arise.
D.C. kicks ass, have fun.
Yeah, I kind of laugh at my sister when she visits from L.A. She's all bundled up in a sweater and thick socks while I'm wearing a tshirt and sandals.
But thanks for the tips. I have a hat and scarves, gloves, but no thick socks. I don't think I have shoes that will accommodate thick socks. I'm guessing they must have some high tech microfiber type warm socks and tights these days?
What Dr. Pepper said.
Too, I'm going to D.C. in February and am pretty much terrified at how cold it's going to be.
I'm not really sure what I was thinking. I had some time off and I've never been to DC so I bought a ticket. Now, I'm kind of wishing I'd thought it through better. I'm buying clothes for a six day trip that I won't get much use from.
Washington D.C. is all concrete so it gets blustery and cold as satan's asshole.
For weather that is cold like the 20's low 30's:
I wear T-Shirt, then a fleece then my warm coat...
.... and a fleece or wool hat that covers my ears.
My wife tends to wear gloves.... I only wear them when I shovel snow.
Sometimes when it gets down to the teens I wear a puffy down vest over my fleece then I throw on the coat.
Men that wear scarves are just men trying to be fashionable, hence the goofy knot they tie in front. You will be able to identify these men in D.C. because these scarves will usually be red or some other bright color and the men will be enjoying the scarves with great satisfaction, along with special muffs that keep the ears warm but do not tussle the hair. Stay away from them because they are likely to be mugged later in the day.
Layers are good because you can adapt to the weather each day and if you pop into a joint to eat you can peel off a layer until you are comfortable.
I know you are a woman and the scarf bit doesn't apply to you, I just want you to know whom to push in front of a mugger should the need arise.
D.C. kicks ass, have fun.
haaa, that was awesome, thanks! I especially like how you described the men who "will be enjoying the scarves with great satisfaction".
We have blustery wind here so I have plenty of scarves and hats. I think a pair of silk thermals, and some kind of high tech socks will get me through.
These Men and their wives look like the couple in the shitty Hyundai commercial...Their children will have names like Grant, Chelsea, Hudson, Cameron etc...
I live in New York but I hate New York trendoids that travel and ruin the rep.
My sister was in DC in July a couple of years ago and she said the people that live there were all decked out in full-on work attire in the sweltering heat. She also said many women there wear panty hose! Total culture shock!
I was there in July two years ago too. OMG, was it hot and muggy! I think everyone else just about covered the tips for the DC cold. Layers is/are key.
where do you guys park these things?
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How crazy, I wonder if you you were there at the same time.
i am mostly worried about having numb feet because I don't have the right shoes. I have leather knee high boots but they are thin, and unlined. I'm looking at wool tights on Amazon and they're $45!
I was there for one of the meet ups. We had one their for the 4th of July while the westcoast one was going on.
Yeah wool anything will keep you warm, but hopefully they breathe enough that your feet don't get too sweaty.
I live in London where it's always cold and I swear by my Timberland boots; they keep your feet warm, you won't slip on ice or snow, they're damage proof and age very well. They're not cheap but you can get them in any colour with different materials and they last forever. Oh, and in case you're wondering, I don't work for Timberland.
I wear leggings under my jeans, two pair of regular socks, boots, a sweater, a jacket, mittens, a scarf and a hat. This ensemble works well for me, but if you're going to be walking around DC I'd suggest more layers, especially if you're used to warmer weather.
Why has everyone been to Washington DC? I've been there once, when I was five, and it was only in passing on the way to Florida. I feel left out.
Thanks, Tom! I looked at Timberland boots as you suggested but they are a little pricey for me as I won't get a lot of use out of them.
Caitlin, I'm a complete novice when it comes to cold, so do you buy shoes in different sizes so you can wear two pairs of socks at a time? How does that work?
Oh, and I got these off Amazon for $60! http://www.amazon.com/Blondo-Womens-Bezel-Winter-Boot/dp/B0026MRKWG?tag=...
No, I don't work for Amazon.
How crazy, I wonder if you you were there at the same time.
i am mostly worried about having numb feet because I don't have the right shoes. I have leather knee high boots but they are thin, and unlined. I'm looking at wool tights on Amazon and they're $45!
Coming from Australia to New York, as you might guess, I wasn't anywhere near used to the kind of cold it gets up here either. I have plenty of pairs of boots, but none that are lined, and my feet have never been that cold, I bought some pairs of good quality wool socks (both thin and thick kinds, they seem to be equally warm. Two pairs of normal socks are also warm, if you've got enough room in your shoes for that.) I also bought a pair of wool tights, but if you're only going for a week, you can probably get away with not having to buy something like that because you won't get any other use out of them. Thermals, tights or thin leggings under jeans or trousers is a good tip for staying warm. I find that it's my knees that always get the coldest!
Always layer, because it will inevitably be really warm everywhere you go inside, and bloody cold outside! I tend to wear a few thin layers rather than bulky layers - tank top, long sleeved tee (or two), sweater or cardigan, scarf and then my coat.
Definitely hats and gloves - never go out without your gloves at night! I learned that the hard way...
other than that, I'm sure you'll be fine. If I can do it, you can!
there's two kinds of cold to me. like right now, it's about 30 degrees and snowing out. That's fine. I can live with that for a couple three months. But when it's the other kind of cold, when it's in single digit temperatures. and the wind is blowing. and the only way to describe things outside are as "bleak" and "desolate." fuck that noise! And it's supposed to be like that all this coming week.
I posted about this in PA a few days ago. I'm totally serious too. I'm moving off to Goodyear Arizona! The only thing really keeping me here are my Reds and, the few years they're good, my Bengals. But with all the tv packages you can buy nowadays, you can still watch all the games no matter where you are, so I got that covered. And Goodyear is also where the Reds have Spring Training now, so I'll still get to see them live and in person a few times a year.
As soon as I got my mom and dad moved into this new place and they're all set up I am packing my hobo bindle and heading west! I can't take this kind of cold anymore.
where do you guys park these things?
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anywhere they want too!
are you gonna give that thing a ticket??
A hobo bindle is the stick with the tied bundle at the end right, goes over the shoulder? I've been trying to remember what a word for that is for like three days now!
Hobo Bindle. I'm so tickled right now, I don't know why.
I posted about this in PA a few days ago. I'm totally serious too. I'm moving off to Goodyear Arizona! The only thing really keeping me here are my Reds and, the few years they're good, my Bengals. But with all the tv packages you can buy nowadays, you can still watch all the games no matter where you are, so I got that covered. And Goodyear is also where the Reds have Spring Training now, so I'll still get to see them live and in person a few times a year.
As soon as I got my mom and dad moved into this new place and they're all set up I am packing my hobo bindle and heading west! I can't take this kind of cold anymore.
Besides spring training, what else is in Goodyear, Arizona? Why'd you decide to move there? Arizona is beautiful!
Ha! Glad to be of service!
I reckon the might have blimps. Blimps are always fun.
I posted about this in PA a few days ago. I'm totally serious too. I'm moving off to Goodyear Arizona! The only thing really keeping me here are my Reds and, the few years they're good, my Bengals. But with all the tv packages you can buy nowadays, you can still watch all the games no matter where you are, so I got that covered. And Goodyear is also where the Reds have Spring Training now, so I'll still get to see them live and in person a few times a year.
As soon as I got my mom and dad moved into this new place and they're all set up I am packing my hobo bindle and heading west! I can't take this kind of cold anymore.
Besides spring training, what else is in Goodyear, Arizona? Why'd you decide to move there? Arizona is beautiful!
really, that was the only reason I decided to move there. Spring training and the warm weather.
now that I think about it, I probably should look into what else is there.
I don't even know where it is geographically located in the state!
Dude, Phoenix is like 20 miles away. You can go see the Reds when they play the D-Backs like 6 times a year. I hear the tickets are cheap too!
It's cool that you're just up and moving. I'd be nervous about securing a job before I made a major move like that.
i think anywhere ya go, you can find some little shitty job to bring in some money while you're out trying to get a real one.
The only thing I'm planning on is trying to have about 4-5 months worth of rent money saved up so any money I get from said shitty job won't have to all go towards that.
although, if I somehow managed to fart out some kind of best-seller in the meantime, to where I could just hole up all winter long and never have to set foot outside. I'd just stay around here. it'd be a lot less hassle than having to move everything across country.
oh, ps. take a good moisturizer, especially if it's going to be cold and windy. that will dry you out like nothing else. and wind burn hurts like a motherfucker.
Man, the cold is scary. But I think I'd prefer it to the heat. It's really starting to heat up down here. It's going to be a ridiculously hot summer. Here come the forty degree days.
I want a New Yawka to come sweep me off my feet and take me back with them!
My wife and I were talking, we both agree that without even having been there we would move to Austrailia if we had eough "Fuck You" money to leave everything behind. New York city (manhattan, brooklyn) kick ass all over the place. But the winters here lose there charm in seconds. Once it hits under 15 degrees.
D.C. is just as harsh in both summer and winter. ugh. I hate snow at this point.
Don't even! I would take the 40 degree days over the snow days in a heartbeat.
Really?
I've always thought of myself as a cold person. Like, I'm hating right now. I figure, you can always put more clothes on, but you can't really take your skin off when it's too hot. We don't have air conditioning in our flat either, so that sucks. But I guess, if it was so cold I couldn't move, I'd probably hate that too.
D.C. is just as harsh in both summer and winter. ugh. I hate snow at this point.
Yeah, Australia's pretty badass, man. The weather really is nice. It gets hot, sure, but at least it doesn't get so cold you can barely breathe. But I just wish I could play around in the snow. Plus, I find it hard to write when it's too hot. I can't think properly.
It's easy for you to say that now, and I probably would have said something similar a year or two ago. I never really knew what it was to be cold before I lived up here. Australian winter is a breeze in comparison. Try being snowed in for 2 days with no electricity and no running water and then tell me you prefer the cold! Extremes of either heat or cold are terrible, but that kind of cold gets in to your bones and makes everything hurt. I would prefer to be sweating than frozen.
Hmmm. I think I'll stick it out here.
It is 9 degrees in Chicago right now. Not including the knife-like wind.
The thing is, you're not used to extreme weather, so 20 degrees to you is going to feel like -10 to me. Pack warm. I assume you don't have a winter coat, so at the least you'll want a fleece or pull-over and a coat on top. Don't try to get fancy with shoes either.
The thing is, you're not used to extreme weather, so 20 degrees to you is going to feel like -10 to me. Pack warm. I assume you don't have a winter coat, so at the least you'll want a fleece or pull-over and a coat on top. Don't try to get fancy with shoes either.
I feel for you and fear for myself! I know it's going to feel so much colder to me than people used to harsh winters.
I do have a winter coat! It's a vintage 1940 silk-lined full length WOOL coat that buttons all the way. (Some coats don't close at the neck. I've never had the occasion to use it!
I ordered water proof winter boats off Amazon (see above) so I think I got that covered. They don't match the coat though. 
Oh, something I didn't even consider, THANKS!
You'll probably want to wear a sweater or something under the coat. My experience with wool coats have always required one. Other than that, if you have boots gloves and a hat you should be solid.
Yep, I have plenty of good sweaters because those come in handy here.
I think I'm all set. I got the silk long johns today which I love, they're super soft and light.
The crazy thing is I'm going straight to L.A. from DC and it was 80 there yesterday! My sister posted a photo of her shirtless kid sitting on top of her car next to a Christmas tree!
Packing is a going to be a little complicated. I may mail some sandals and clothes to L.A.
My forecast for tomorrow actually says
"cloudy and bitterly cold"
Ha! I'm sorry.
Jane S. said her newspaper described the weather as "slapped with snow and wind".
Last night, I watched the rain turning into intermittent sleet outside my studio window. I don't have any heat in there, so I'm trying to paint with all my winter gear on (winter coat, toboggan, gloves, etc.) This afternoon I went around and crammed newspaper into all the cracks in the walls and the door frame where that cold-ass wind was blowing through. It's not supposed to get this cold in the Cackalack until the worst part of Jan/Feb! This ish is ridiculous!!!
Hope the cold weather doesn't ruin your trip to DC, Mirka. The last time I was there, I had SO much fun. The national gallery is amazing.
Get on over to my website, young'un! www.subvertfromwithinrecords.blogspot.com
I agree with everything Kit said. Thick sweaters bug me.
One thing I didn't see mentioned: Having on gloves that are not waterproof when it is snowing is almost worse than not having any gloves at all.
And don't forget chapstick!
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Ha, it wasn't that cold! I can handle high twenties, low thirties! Also, five days in DC is not long enough. I had a truly amazing trip.
I think I want to move there.
yay! I was wondering how you had got on
Thermal underwear!