Edmonton's Dry Cold -- Thoughts On -30 °C

But it's a dry cold. This is the argument I hear most frequently to justify why -30 °C isn't as bad as it sounds. While I know there are skeptics who don't buy the dry versus wet cold theory, I think there is some truth to it. Somehow walking to and from work at -10 °C here is comfortable enough, while a damp 5 degrees in Victoria or Vancouver has chilled me to the bones. That being said, mine haven't been the most controlled experiments -- I'd wear a rain jacket (or at most a peacoat) on a cold day in BC, while on a cold day in Alberta you can bet I'll be zipped up tight in my puffy parka.

some impressive icicles (and a snow drift) I spotted yesterday

Before today the coldest temperature I'd experienced was -27 °C, in Montreal and Ontario during CaRMS interviews last January. This morning I woke up to a temperature of -31 °C (embodying -40 °C thanks to the wind chill). I warily read Environment Canada's Extreme Cold Warning -- an ominous bulletin that is issued "when very cold temperatures or wind chill creates an elevated risk to health such as frost bite and hypothermia".

walking home from work yesterday evening

I had Mandarin class to get to, fortunately only a five-minute walk away, so I pulled on leggings under my pants, donned my puffy jacket and winter boots, and trekked out onto the sidewalk. Thankfully once the incessant snowfall had stopped undoing all of the road crews' work they were able to get the major roads and sidewalks nice and clear.

at least it's sunny!

I quickly learned that the difference between -20 °C and -30 °C is the burning -- legs, face, hands -- anything that's not adequately insulated begins to sting within minutes of being outdoors. Of course, stopping to take photos every minute (made challenging by an uncooperative frigid touchscreen) was not the optimal strategy for keeping warm.

Upon reaching the Education Building, stomping the snow off my boots, dealing with my runny nose (inevitable from the moment I step outside), and pulling any escapee jacket feathers out of my hair, I was comfortable for a minute...and then started overheating. Ah, the challenges of thermoregulation.

Coming from a place where it was difficult to comprehend -30 °C, combined with warnings about winter jackets, snow tires, and block heaters from many a helpful acquaintance, I was justifiably apprehensive about winter in Alberta. Two redeeming features anyone failed to mention were: 1) it's not like this all the time and 2) at least it's sunny!

I know colder days are to come as (hard to believe) winter has yet to arrive, but at least I now know that (unlike Victoria) Edmonton can deal with snow reasonably well and no, I won't have to hide out inside for six months of the year. And most important, let's reassure ourselves that this is, after all, a dry cold.