I've been reading how some folks in the Southern US will be experiencing some temperatures that Northerners more customarily experience. I thought that it might be helpful for those of us who have experienced extreme weather to offer some helpful hints:
I'll start off with a few:
For your body
Dress in layers of clothing. Layered light clothing will keep you warmer than almost anything else.
Wear a hat. The amount of body heat that leaves through your head is amazing. When camping in cool months, I even wear a knit hat when I go to sleep.
Drink lots of water. Cold air is much dryer than warm air, and you will actually loose moisture though your skin, even though you won't be sweating.
Use a good moisturizer/AS balm to moisturize the skin.
Minimize alcohol consumption. Alcohol will constrict circulation in your extremities, fingers, toes, hands, feet etc. Your body will already be doing this on it's own as it prioritizes keeping your internal organs warm. Don't worsen the situation.
For your Car
Check to see that your coolant is topped off, that it's not ancient and mixed in proper proportion for cold weather.
Same for your motor oil, transmission fluid.
Warm your car up. Use an extra key so that you can lock it inside the car, and simply run the engine. It's better if you're not in the car, as your warm breath can freeze on the inside of the cold windshield.
Drive gently for the first few miles until the mechanical parts of your car are truly warmed up. If you're the kind of person who stomps on the gas, be gentle and let your engine and transmission get acclimated.
For your house.
Extreme weather can freeze your water pipes in no time flat. It's a good practice to leave your cold water faucet on just enough so that it drips water. That slow movement of water in the pipe is enough to help prevent freezing. If you have water pipes that are adjacent to an outside wall, run the cold water more aggressively. If your pipes freeze, DO NOT use a propane torch to try and thaw them. There are always a few house fires each year when folks try to do this.
If it's snowy or icey, drive slowly and deliberately. The rule of thumb is that all accidents happen during states of change for your vehicle. If you are turning, slow down. If you have to use the brakes, brake earlier than you normally would, increasing pressure on the brakes more gradually. All wheel drive is helpful, but doesn't give you license to drive as if you were on dry pavement. Same thing goes with four wheel drive. Four wheel drive can be helpful in snow, but does nothing on ice.
Don't believe that you will always be able to see ice on the road. Everyone who drives in a northern climate, knows the phrase, "black ice". Black Ice is called such because it's basically almost completely transparent and therefore largely invisible.
If your house is cold, do not use any charcoal, propane or other camping type heating devices or stoves. These are designed to work outside where there's lots of ventilation for the Carbon Dioxide and other gases that they produce. A quick way to provide heat is to boil a large pot of water on the stove. This is perfect stew/soup weather.
Be safe, dress for the weather
I'll start off with a few:
For your body
Dress in layers of clothing. Layered light clothing will keep you warmer than almost anything else.
Wear a hat. The amount of body heat that leaves through your head is amazing. When camping in cool months, I even wear a knit hat when I go to sleep.
Drink lots of water. Cold air is much dryer than warm air, and you will actually loose moisture though your skin, even though you won't be sweating.
Use a good moisturizer/AS balm to moisturize the skin.
Minimize alcohol consumption. Alcohol will constrict circulation in your extremities, fingers, toes, hands, feet etc. Your body will already be doing this on it's own as it prioritizes keeping your internal organs warm. Don't worsen the situation.
For your Car
Check to see that your coolant is topped off, that it's not ancient and mixed in proper proportion for cold weather.
Same for your motor oil, transmission fluid.
Warm your car up. Use an extra key so that you can lock it inside the car, and simply run the engine. It's better if you're not in the car, as your warm breath can freeze on the inside of the cold windshield.
Drive gently for the first few miles until the mechanical parts of your car are truly warmed up. If you're the kind of person who stomps on the gas, be gentle and let your engine and transmission get acclimated.
For your house.
Extreme weather can freeze your water pipes in no time flat. It's a good practice to leave your cold water faucet on just enough so that it drips water. That slow movement of water in the pipe is enough to help prevent freezing. If you have water pipes that are adjacent to an outside wall, run the cold water more aggressively. If your pipes freeze, DO NOT use a propane torch to try and thaw them. There are always a few house fires each year when folks try to do this.
If it's snowy or icey, drive slowly and deliberately. The rule of thumb is that all accidents happen during states of change for your vehicle. If you are turning, slow down. If you have to use the brakes, brake earlier than you normally would, increasing pressure on the brakes more gradually. All wheel drive is helpful, but doesn't give you license to drive as if you were on dry pavement. Same thing goes with four wheel drive. Four wheel drive can be helpful in snow, but does nothing on ice.
Don't believe that you will always be able to see ice on the road. Everyone who drives in a northern climate, knows the phrase, "black ice". Black Ice is called such because it's basically almost completely transparent and therefore largely invisible.
If your house is cold, do not use any charcoal, propane or other camping type heating devices or stoves. These are designed to work outside where there's lots of ventilation for the Carbon Dioxide and other gases that they produce. A quick way to provide heat is to boil a large pot of water on the stove. This is perfect stew/soup weather.
Be safe, dress for the weather