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Unique-Public-8594 t1_j5loqc1 wrote

Maybe this is just trolling.

If not:

Snow can happen anytime from about December 1st through May 1st, typically with melting in between. Dates and accumulation can vary widely year to year. A dusting to 3” is fairly common. Three feet happens very rarely but can happen.

Don’t put salt on your driveway, it’s hard on your pup’s paws and kills plants.

Snow tires are much safer. Not everyone can afford them.

Shovel out your dryer vent, your oil fill pipe, your mail box, and a path for your meter (if it’s not automated).

Never sit in your car with the engine on and windows up in snow if your exhaust pipe is not shoveled out.

Best to shovel snow before it freezes. You will shovel your driveway then a plow will come along and create a barrier. You get to shovel that too. There are times when shoveling is a waste of time because it will melt soon.

Get a scraper to get ice off your car window. If your car is not garaged, flip your windshield wipers up in the air when snow/ice are in the forecast (or all the time), that will prevent them from getting frozen in place.

It’s dangerous and illegal to drive around with snow/ice on the roof, hood, trunk of your car.

Give snow plows plenty of space.

Have a power outage kit with a battery radio, some candles and matches, etc. you can find a full list online. If the power has been out for a days, and you can afford it, just go check-in to a hotel.

Have some lock de-icer available.

Get some high-quality hot chocolate, (maybe chocolate liqueur, peppermint schnapps, or coffee liqueur to add to it), Netflix, a cozy blanket, Heat Trapper socks, Yak Trax, water-proof boots, thermal-lined gloves, and a sled.

Find a winter sport you love.

Take some photos.

Don’t eat dirty snow. Melt some in a glass, you’ll see why.

When you drive, leave more space between you and the car in front of you. Don’t freak out. You’ll be ok. Don’t be the fastest car on the road nor the slowest. Side roads tend to be slipperier than highways. Bridges freeze first. Black ice is no joke but it’s rare. You really can’t do a whole lot to avoid it except stay home if possible if the weather forecasters are predicting it. Use your brakes a little less. The accelerator (gently) can help grip the road.

Find yourself a scarf, hat, stones, carrot and sticks and make a snow man, catch a snowflake in your mouth, have a snow ball fight, make snow angels. Find a sleigh ride. Look on line for photos of individual snow flakes (close-up), each one is unique.

Keep kitty litter in your trunk. You can use that for traction if you get stuck.

Go easy on shoveling. A lot more heart attacks during snow storms from over-exertion.

Ask around where the best sledding hill is and go. Doesn’t matter what age you are. This is a must.

Welcome to winter. Real winter.

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ihavebigboobiezz OP t1_j5lsqrw wrote

It’s not trolling, I did not grow up around snow so I don’t know. Thanks for all the help!

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Ph886 t1_j5lxzdf wrote

This was a really good breakdown. To add to this, layer, layer, layer. Learning to layer properly is an important part of dealing with the cold.

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LKHedrick t1_j5n6z7g wrote

**Note: don't get "clumping" kitty litter. You need the non-clumping kind.

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degggendorf t1_j5ohr97 wrote

> Snow tires are much safer. Not everyone can afford them.

I think you're overselling them; I don't think snow tires in RI are so necessary that anyone who can afford them should have them. We don't have particularly extreme winters, nor any elevation to speak of. Besides that, unless OP is a first responder or something, simply not driving when weather is bad is the way to go. Even then, just driving like a sane person is fine. All seasons will get you where you're going, just a bit slower.

> Welcome to winter. Real winter.

This is clearly subjective, but I don't consider us to have "real winters". In my personal definition, "real winter" includes constant snow cover the whole season, and late January temperatures below 40, unlike us...

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Unique-Public-8594 t1_j5opb8g wrote

That’s fair.

“Real winter” is relative. Maybe we can agree: RI is more real than FL but less real than Alaska, no?

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degggendorf t1_j5opplo wrote

Even in our immediate area, we have the mildest winter weather in all of New England and New York.

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the_gubna t1_j5ooa4u wrote

Agreed re: just drive slower and leave plenty of space.

I didn’t have snow tires on the front range of Colorado (awd car) and did fine. You definitely don’t need them here.

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Cash50911 t1_j5oeph2 wrote

Get a friend to bring you to a parking lot to drive in, before you try the highway... You have to get used to steering out of the slide, and how your abs feel...

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Mrsericmatthews t1_j5n1wuo wrote

Very thorough! Second most of this. Especially sledding. But you can also find pro snow tubing at Wachusetts if you're up for a half day trip and have the $30 - if I'm remembering correctly, they bring you up with a rope tow.

I will say I've never owned snow tires and haven't had any issue, even during my several years in Western MA where we had considerably more snow. But if you can afford them/have that expendable income, they are helpful.

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Aliriel t1_j5o9vb4 wrote

That was epic. Can't add a thing. Gotta ask, which town do you live in?

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Triggify t1_j5q1f6f wrote

Tbh, the only thing I'd recommend against is putting your wipers up, I'd rather them be frozen and have to thaw then have them break from the weight of snow pushing them in directions they weren't meant to go

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