That’s the weather report as I write and it’s 8ºC warmer than it was when we got up this morning! (-46ºC is equal to -50.8ºF) I’ve seen many comments on social media today asking how we live at these temperatures, so for those of you who can’t imagine surviving such extreme cold, here’s how we do it.

First of all, we stay indoors as much as possible. Many businesses closed this weekend and many churches cancelled their services. Though schools usually remain open, school buses, especially in rural areas, often don’t run. Central heating systems (forced air furnaces), often fuelled by natural gas, keep our houses warm regardless of what’s happening outside.

When we have to spend any time outdoors, we dress for the cold in layers that trap body heat and help keep us warm. In extreme cold, exposed skin will develop frostbite in a matter of minutes, so if we’re going to be outside for very long, we cover all but our eyes.

Image: kawarthaNOW.com

Vehicles in this climate are equipped with block heaters. Most will start down to about -15ºC (5ºF), but below that, unless the vehicle is kept in a heated garage, the block heater needs to be plugged into a regular 110-volt outlet to warm the engine block and internal fluids like the oil and coolant. Wise drivers ensure that their vehicles are equipped with well-stocked emergency kits, extra clothes, blankets, and candles in case they’re stranded on the side of the road and have to wait for help.

This present cold snap seems especially harsh because, until now, thanks to El Niño, we’ve been enjoying an unusually mild winter. When I hear people saying that they’ve never experienced cold like this before, I’m reminded how old I am. While we haven’t seen daytime temperatures like these for 20 years, I distinctly remember waking up to -50ºC (-58ºF) one morning in late 1976 or early 1977. Hubby and I, both school teachers at the time, had only been married a for few months. After warming up the car, we attempted to leave for school. As soon as the vehicle moved, one of the tires, frozen solid, separated from the rim. We bundled up and walked to school! Thankfully, it was less than a kilometre away (about half a mile)!

One last thing that Albertans love to do to make winter more bearable is to get away to somewhere warm for a mid winter break. Hubby and I will be doing that soon, so more about that in future posts!