Okay, so here i am in Dansville, NY. I'm trying to get a clue on weather patterns, trends etc and am now confused.
Our home is situated at 1700 ft elevation, on the side of a hill. I checked the USDA map and it looks like we are in zone 6a. I looked at another map and it said between Nov-Jan we average 22-24 inches of snow. What does that mean? Will i wake up one morning and there will be 2 ft of snow on the ground and it will stay until Jan?
I'm really clueless here and have no idea what to expect this winter, except its gonna get COLD and its gonna snow......alot!!
LOL@myself for my silliness,
Jen
Clue me in?
Jen put your new zip code http://davesgarden.com/pf/zipbyzip.php
Then you will find by seeing who posted the zip code plants who lives there and can help you.
Hope that helps. Know you will have those Yankees gaga.
Happy new home.
Sidney
Hi Jen,
If I am correct, you are near Rochester, NY? I do know that it will get quite windy and you will get a lot of snow. I don't know what the time frame is. I used to live in Massachusetts and our family still lives there. Whenever we go home for holidays in the winter, we generally run into rough weather in your area. We take the NY thruway, of course.
Just expect a lot of snow and wind.
NY winters. I know Buffalo gets storms when they least expect it, I suspect Rochester is the same way.
But you will find beauty in it and your horses will love it. :) NY is an awesome state.
Good luck in your new surroundings. :) Kathy
Jen, thanks for that link!!! Main street is so cool!
Looks like average snowfall is about 40 in...still don't know what to expect. I lived in Nebraska as a child, and remember the snow, but it was just the white stuff to play in. I have no idea what my g'parents went through when the snow was up to my chest.
Jen sometimes in snowy areas you will get a huge snow storm that will dump a bunch of snow and that snow will stay and stay. Other times you will get snow that melts away pretty quickly and then more snow that will either stay or melt away. Ya just can't count on it to be the same from year to year or even day to day. You will find that the winter is the time to do all the catching up on your housework and letter writing and garden planning ( yeaaa for plant and seed catalogs) and summer is the time to play in your garden and ride your horses.
Get some good warm snow boots preferably with thinsulate in them for doing your horse chores in and a couple of really thick and very warm winter coats along with sweaters and sweatshirts and sweat pants to live in through the winter months and you can be pretty comfortable.
Hope this helped ya. Welcome to zone 6. ;o)
Lani
We've hit the SA thirft stores a few times since we've been here and managed to get a few sweaters and heavy jackets.
I was standing on the deck last night and the wind was whipping up the hill and right smack in to me and i kept thinking oh man,i am IN trouble,lol.
OMG, i was on the phone with the propane people (heat) and she said our heating season is from sept-may.......surely she was kidding?
Jen, when I first moved to REAL winter weather, I almost froze the first year. Then someone clued me in to washable silk longjohns, Sorel waterproof winter boots with removeable felt liners that can be dried by the fire, and DOWN jackets. I worked outside (supervising construction, and taking care of my horses) and finally I was comfortable outside! Oh, and get a good hat that covers your ears!
If you can find Sorel's, go for the -40º rated ones as they are warmer even if it's just 10º. Mine look like this photo. Ebay has a bunch listed (over 600 pair!). http://search.ebay.com/sorel-boots_W0QQfromZR40
Yep those are what we wear here when it's really cold. :)
Those look like they would be warm and toasty!! I dont guess KMarts 21.99 are gonna cut it?
They had a few auctions that were going to be ending soon, but none that were my size. I need to scroll through them and see if i can find a size that will fit.
Thanks for the link and a name to start looking for
LOL, Jen... the KMarts will freeze your feet off, although they might make a fashion statement by the fire!
Keep looking on ebay, sooner or later you'll find your size (either in men's or women's) but look for the Caribou... they are the warmest and last the longest. Also, look for removeable liners so you can dry them if you find a different pair. Just NEVER try to wash felt liners... mine disintegrated totally and I had to buy new liners!
Oh gee, where to find a fire? lol
I have retired my capris and flip flops and now in the serious business of finding winter clothing. Do those boots really retail for $100?
Yes, and worth EVERY penny! BUT, look for a used pair... should be able to get a pair for somewhere around $30+ still in great shape. TRUST me on this one... your feet will be grateful... and so will you if you do a winter in less than adequate boots.
If your zone 6a is anything like the zone 5b/6a where I grew up (western PA), between Nov and Jan, you'll get anywhere from a dusting to 8 inches of snow in any given snowstorm. Most of November, the snow will not lay very long, but as winter wears on, the snow will stay on the ground for longer periods of time. Even when there is snow on the ground (i.e. grass), roads and sidewalks will be clear most of the time because people clear them and because they absorb heat faster than grass does. (If you live on a dirt or gravel road, I have no advice. I have no experience with them in snow country.)
And if your weather is like anywhere else in the world, it will never be "average". Remember that average is just a bunch of numbers added up and divided. Any given time period is bound to be hotter, colder, wetter, drier, etc. than "average". (Even worse than "average" is "normal". There is no "normal".)
For decent prices on quality boots and winter gear, go to www.sierratradingpost.com. I have found that my feet stay warmer if I put a plastic bag over my socks - just an ordinary plastic bag like a bread bag. I have no idea why it works but it does.
Lessee... Wooly knitted Thinsulate gloves are great, much more windresistant than normal knitted gloves, and usually very cheap. I go through one or two pairs per winter, as I'm not a mitten person.
Also, longhaired fur edging on the hood of your coat or parca? It's not just for vanity, those hairs are the best snow catchers in stormy weather.
Generally, the drier and better windproofed you are, the easier it will be for you to keep warm. That goes for you feet and hands too. Ooh, I'm already coveting the Sorel's that Darius wrote about :-)
I forgot: Moisturize well. Cold wind can easily dry out your skin. Chances are you'll have to use a different moisturizer during the winter, one with less water and more, um, "grease" than the one you use now. Just make sure it's an anti clogging formula and you'll be fine.
Ha, i just remembered this one as well: UV filters are your friends when the ground is covered in snow, as snow is super reflective and can give you a sunburn in the middle of winter. I swear, I'm not kidding :-)
there seems to be so much to learn, and only a few weeks to learn it in, lol
Yes, but you will have many months to fine tune it :)
MsJen, in the middle of winter, even tho everything is covered with snow, you will breathe in some of the finest, purest, germ free air available.
I mind static electricity in the winter. Our air is very dry here in the north - it is easy to shock yourself, sliding across the car seat to get out. Touch the car with your finger and it zaps you.
If you are fueling up your car, touch the metal part of the car before removing the gas cap and putting in fuel. That way you are neutral and don't have sparks from static electricity.
MsJen do clothing in layers.
The National Ski Patrol calls it dressing like an onion.
Here's their formula.
1. Start with a moisture-wicking under layer
2. Add an insulating middle layer
3.Top with a protective outer layer
We do a lot of Winter hiking.
#1 is the #1 thing to remember.
If your clothes get wet you get cold.
Most people forget that your body is always giving off moisture thru your skin.
I did like your take on the snow.
Some years we do get 22" all at once.
Then don't see the ground for a month.
Other years it's 1 inch a day....for 22 days!
It will be a lot easier for you to get used to the cold than to get used to the short days and long nights.
Practice driving when you don't have to be anywhere.
Much better than freaking out in the snow trying to make an appointment.
Allow twice as long to get anywhere until everyone gets used to driving in snow again.
Watch out for 'Black Ice' when there is no snow and especially after a thaw/freeze cycle.
Enjoy the snow.
Get out and walk around.
Most of the plants may be missing but Nature is still cranking!
The best time to see owls and hawks, foxes and coyotes is in Winter.
Put out a few feeders now and you will have friends all Winter.
Ric
This is an area where the birds will really use a bird feeder and some fresh thawed water in a bird bath. You will get much enjoyment from hosting them.
Sidney
Ah, shaggy horse weather. Also heavy wool socks. Never mind what 'studies' claim, wool is the only sock that will keep some warmth when wet. Wear a lined hat that blocks wind, too. Your body loses the most heat from feet and head. You'll also find that you automatically tense your muscles slightly and walk faster in order to stay warm (not to mention acquiring that stiff Northern facial expression). But if while you're outside you get so cold you can't stop shivering, you need to get warmed up immediately. That's the first symptom of hypothermia.
BTW, the warmest wool by weight is icelandic wool (sold as 'lopi'). Personally, I've never had thinsulate or polarfleece that was as good as wool, though polarfleece is nice for pj's. And bed socks.
If there is an isolated lake anywhere near you, wait until it freezes good and solid (let local authorities okay it for skating). Then drive your car out onto it and practice braking, and going into and getting out of skids. There's nothing to crash into, and you'll get used to driving on ice (after the first couple of heart attacks - just kidding) A tip from a guy who grew up one zone north of you.
Henry is right about the short days. But when the sun is out you'll need good sunglasses. Light reflection off snow and ice can blind you.
Winter sunsets are weird and beautiful. When runoff starts in spring, if you drive a zone or two north and stay up late, you can see the Aurora borealis. And you get to try winter sowing :-) Save those milk jugs...
Oh durn it!!! I didnt think to get the birdfeeders!!! Of course it didnt help that they were buried under 100 ft tall pecan trees tho!!!
I wonder what kind of birds are up here. Theres one i hear that has a really bizarre call, but i wouldnt even know how to describe it.
Hmm, i'm thinking that would be fun to drive on a lake, lol
You'ld have to diaper me to get me to drive on a lake, lol.
Sidney
Are you all trying to scare her to death? Have her question her sanity in moving north? It's not all that bad. I lived in the Catskills to the west of you till I growed up and married a guy from the Adirondacks [ to the north of you] and winters are not predictable. Any more than hurricanes.
It will get what seems unreasonably cold to a Gulf Coast Lady, but if you keep your feet and head warm both indoors and outdoors - you'll learn to love some parts of it. Don't drive in the first storm of the season. EVerYone thinks they remember how to drive in the ice and snow... and they don't.
They will spin an icy patch at the red lights because they can't remember to ease on the gas. Or because they get a kick out of spinning their wheels. LOL tho it's not funny when you don't stop where you expected. You will know it's gonna snow, lay in your groceries and STAY home and enjoy a book.
With horses, you'll have a path to keep open and you'll be smart to assign that task to those big strong boys. ~Blooms [usta live in Old Forge NY]
a path from the house to the barn only, right?
My mother keeps a ski pole with her to walk in the winter. It works, just food for thought. Make sure your boots have treads and are not flat.
Winters in NY are as unpredictable as any weather. Actually there has not been a lot of snow the last few years, according to my family that lives in Mass (near the NY line). Lots of rain as of late.
Don't be frightened, it will be breathtaking at times....And one of the most beautiful things is to take a moonlit walk in the snow. Or a sleigh ride. I miss these things.
Have fun with it NYJen. :)
Kathy
I agree have fun!
I didn't mean to be scarey just advising some areas of caution.
Like you telling me not to pet the 12' scaley dogs coming out of the swamp :)
Heck if you got horses...saddle them up and ride to work or the store. Or better yet a sleigh!
Ric
I am laughing too hard, i can just imagine hooking tina and fancy up to a sleigh..would for sure be in the next county, lol.
Wonder where you'd park them at Wal-Mart?
Hey don't the Handicap Horses?...........Perfect!
Ric
Blooms, we're just trying to get the boring stuff out of the way, so there's more time for Jen to enjoy all the wonderful stuff! :-)
I for one LOVE winter. The sky is somehow higher, wider, the air crisper, the light brighter. The world even sounds different. I love the way new snow creaks under your boots. And when the weather is nasty, you have the perfect excuse to huddle up with your favorite wooly socks, blankets, cinnamon rolls and your hot beverage of choice, enjoying the company of friends and family or just a good book.
Thinking about it, I don't think I could ever live in a climate without distinct seasons. It probably sounds bizarre to someone relocating from the sunny South, but I enjoy the changes :-)
Is that a frozen spiderweb?
Yep :-) I caught it last winter, right outside my door. It was the very first time I saw a web with ice crystals on it.
Poor spider, lol
MsJen....what are you doing in my old neck of the woods? I was really startled when I saw Dansville, NY.....I'm from Rochester. And it will be cold. Last winter when I went back to see my boys and grandkids, it was -10degrees.....yes, MINUS........as in below zero.....nada...zippo.
You'll have fun.....Right?
Hap
maybe its time to visit again, till hurricane season is over!!! pack your happy bags :-)
we're about 35 miles south of rochester :)
yeah, i'll have fun, but not as much as you this weekend, lol. All kidding aside, my door is open if you need it!!
Hap,
I agree w/ Jen.
Sounds like a perfect time for a NY Roundup.
It's got to be lovely up there now.
Leaves turning, Fall festivals.....
No evacuations.........
Ric
Now YOU kids are going to be on my back.....I had a million calls from my DD this am and then my DS took over this afternoon. (It's good to feel so loved!!)
I am hoping that I will be able to escape it all by going on a cruise Sat afternoon. It's all in the timing as it is said....If Wilma can hang on and not get near until Sat night, I will be home free or free of home....hehe The cruise takes off right out of Ft. Lauderdale, so in 25 minutes I can be on the ship. I just home it comes in and not stay out to sea until after the storm, which is a possibility.
Anywho.....I'm staying so I can go....does that make sense? If I go to Chicago or Rochester tomorrow, I miss the cruise. What a choice...brother.
Thanks again for caring, family.....
Hap
i just can't understand wanting to be out on a cruise ship with all thes TS and Hurricanes??? Am i missing something? Does it go over cool waters? Don't you think the cruise might cancel?
somebody clue ME in on this before i SLAP HAPPY lol
YES, OF COURSE WE LOVE YOU!!!