Seeing snow for the first time! What do i wear?

[FuxieDK]

Large parts of Finland is within the arctic circle. The weather inside or near the arctic circle is not a proper representation of European weather overall, hehe.

Actually, it's NOT.
Only a very small part of Finland/Sweden is inside the arctic circle, and roughly a fourth of Norway is..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arctic_circle.svg

[Slant]

You mean like that?

Haha, EXACTLY like that.. omfg, I never realised Calvin and Hobbes was THAT funny. I may have to start reading those cartoons.

[Deleted]

Actually, it's NOT.
Only a very small part of Finland/Sweden is inside the arctic circle, and roughly a fourth of Norway is..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arctic_circle.svg

It looks like about 20% of Finland. That's a rather large part if you ask me.

[jaakkeli]

It looks like about 20% of Finland. That's a rather large part if you ask me.

A polar projection map distorts the proportion because it makes southern lands look bigger in comparison. Actually 1/3 of Finland is above the arctic circle.

Of course, less than 1/30 of the population lives up there, so... the largest town in Finland is Inari in the northernmost tip, by area roughly the size of Israel but with 6758 people...

[FuxieDK]

It looks like about 20% of Finland. That's a rather large part if you ask me.

Sorry, I was not precise enough: Only a very small part of populated Finland is inside arctic circle..

In both Finland, Sweden and Norway, few people live north of the circle, and as such, it's irrellevant, when you ask how winter is in Europe..

[Deleted]

Sorry, I was not precise enough: Only a very small part of populated Finland is inside arctic circle..

In both Finland, Sweden and Norway, few people live north of the circle, and as such, it's irrelevant, when you ask how winter is in Europe..

Fuck semantics, it wasn't the point. Weather this far up north will always be extreme compared to weather OVERALL in Europe. A winter in the most northern countries is not representative or European winters overall. So when you use a Finnish winter to represent winters in all of Europe the picture becomes kind skewed, no?

[jaakkeli]

In both Finland, Sweden and Norway, few people live north of the circle, and as such, it's irrellevant, when you ask how winter is in Europe..

The climate in inland southern Finland is not massively different from Lapland, though, and Finns unlike Scandinavians actually have population centers in the inland (even though half the country lives near Helsinki).

Climate doesn't follow just latitude, much of Norway above the arctic circle is warmer than southern inland Finland thanks to the ocean, the Gulf Stream and Norwegians living in fjords that regulate climate. Mountainous areas of southern Norway are much colder but then few people live in the mountains.

Finland is a rather unstable border climate where depending on wind direction winter weather is either "Scandinavian" or "northern Siberian". Depending on luck a visitor might get -35 C or +5 C and hear about how it was the other way around last week. And if an Australian who has never seen snow shows up during some of those "north Siberian" days, well, there probably isn't a store in Australia who sells the kind of clothing that you'd want to wear...

[Howard Moon]

It's summer in Europe right now

It is?? Damn, looking out the window I could have sworn it was Autumn :P

[Speaknoevil]

Snow is best enjoyed nude.

[ItachiZaku]

Wool socks are expensive, but pretty awesome. I love chicks in wool socks, perfect height to make the calves pop the way i like.

You'll want boots, but you can get away with some standard walking boot that's water proof. Most of us in the midwest USA (think Chicago) don't really have winter footwear (unless you do a lot of shovling, then you might have special boots), we just are more likely to have daily boots that can handle the weather. You'll want some hoodies, they are fashionable and tactical (sweaters are for preppy cunts) and you'll want to layer, so tshirt, long sleeved tshirt, hoodie etc, also you'll want some fleece, since fleece is away, it's lightweight, warm, cheap, and easy to top layer (under coat). Lastly, you'll want a coat! Now, if you layer up, you don't need much more than a fall jacket, usually something more wind/water proof type of material, since your layering will be keeping you warm, you do NOT need a big bulky winter coat. Add in gloves and hat, a scarf if you are a fashionista. I am not, but I bought a scarf, and it is fucking tits man.

[Deleted]

Dress in layers, always dress in layers.

[Deleted]

It really depends on where you are going, and how resistant you are to cold. Here in Sweden it can be very cold especially in the northern parts, I've experienced -40 once. Some people put on a cap, gloves and wear a thick coat when it's -10 degrees, and as someone else mentioned some people just wear T-shirt and jeans in that temperature.

Anyways some tips for you. Don't let your fingers get too cold, that can be really dangerous, try to keep your hands in your pockets all the time even if you wear gloves. Avoid getting wet/snow on any part of the body, it'll both be a pain and freezing cold. Having warm feet and fingers are essential.

If you wanna dress up real good for the cold you should use several layers of clothing, thin near your body and then put on thicker clothes, and most of the time during the winter it's better sweating than freezing.

[Frozenbeef]

It has never even occurred to me that someone hasn't even seen snow >.<

[FuxieDK]

It is?? Damn, looking out the window I could have sworn it was Autumn :P

Nope... But in 19 days it will be....

[Deleted]

Last winter there was hardly any snow in the southern parts of Finland during christmas, in the northern parts a bit. As someone mentioned it was quite an warm winter last year in europe, who knows how it will be this year.

As of clothing, depends of what you are planning to do, but the posts above cover the most.

Anyways, welcome to Finland if you choose to come here!

[Deleted]

Normal clothes + thermal underwear + waterproof boots/shoes + a winter jacket + gloves, if you're still freezing then a beanie aswell.

If you are going to spend the day outside you will need another pair of pants that are water&windproof.

[Yunru]

It's summer in Europe right now, so if you go here now you'll sweat to dead if you go around in Winter clothes.
And if you are you get a garanteed Snow-filled Winter, you'd have to visit Scandianvia or Finland.

Wrong. There is always a snow here:
https://www.google.si/maps/@46.35446.../data=!3m1!1e3

You dont need to go in winter.

[Revi]

You'll want some hoodies, they are fashionable and tactical (sweaters are for preppy cunts) and you'll want to layer, so tshirt, long sleeved tshirt, hoodie etc, also you'll want some fleece, since fleece is away, it's lightweight, warm, cheap, and easy to top layer (under coat).

Pff, wool sweaters is the shit, and that's coming from my cold weather survival instructor in the army I'm with you on scarfs though, they're awesome.

[Reeve]

If you're going to be playing in the snow and not just in town around snow, don't wear jeans. They get wet and then freeze easily, which sucks. Snow pants, something like this, are useful if you're going to actually be kneeling, sliding, etc. in snow:



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Haha, EXACTLY like that.. omfg, I never realised Calvin and Hobbes was THAT funny. I may have to start reading those cartoons.

With the exception of xkcd, Calvin and Hobbes is probably the best comic of all time.

[ItachiZaku]

I'm with you on scarfs though, they're awesome.

I had no opinion of them, until I got mine. Probably my #1 purchase of the year.