What is it a Northern winter like (Estonian example)

Recently a Spanish friend asked me what he should pack for going to Finland in February. It may be quite a challenge for someone not used to winters below 0C (32F). It made me think of other peculiarities that we, people from the far North (or South) consider evident knowledge that in fact can be unexpected for others. Here they are brought out to you!

The first thing you may notice are ice-covered slippery streets. The streets become especially slippery when the temperatures fluctuate around zero. The melting and freezing cycles will create an icy cover that at times can be extremely slippery. This phenomenon will disappear if the temperatures fall beyond -5C (23F). Otherwise, it is quite annoying and also dangerous. The streets could be slipper overall or hide frozen puddles with black ice under the freshly fallen snow. In most cases, we can handle it but once in a few years, the streets can be extremely slippery when walking around is basically impossible (we still have to go to school :( ). For a better grip, you should choose winter boots with a deeper grip. Some older people also use special soles that attach to the boots. This time of the year is especially hard for people with walking disabilities, also pushing a baby trolly can be challenging. One may ask, why don´t we move around with skates or skis instead. I would love this idea but since there are driveways where snow melts quickly it is practically impossible. If possible, don´t go out at all!

There is another danger related to ice. But instead of coming from the ground it awaits you from...the roofs. With fluctuating temperatures and insufficient roof insulation, huge icicles can form in eaves. Normally, nothing happens but at times they give in to gravity and fall down, becoming a sharp and heavy weapon. There are one or two cases in a few years and sometimes the victims fall into a coma, and at times the casualty dies. I recommend choosing a road where no icicles lurk from above. I have been hit once but luckily it only grazed my shoulder. 

Take time to drive a car. First of all, the engine must be heated up before driving. Depending on the temperature it will take 5 - 15 minutes. In some countries, you can also find electric parking heaters.

Cleaning your car from snow is another procedure that has to be performed routinely. The more snow has fallen the more time it takes. Not only the windshield but all windows, roof, lights, number plate and from under the windscreen wipers. Additionally, windows must be cleaned with an ice scraper. In worst cases, cars will become stuck and it takes a hard time to free yourself from the snow puddle. (It can happen in the cities and public parking spaces too!) It is wise to supply yourself with a spade for these occasions. 

In heavy snowfall, the roads will become snowy. Driving speed has to be adjusted accordingly and be aware that at the wrong speed, it is easy to lose control of your car! The main highways will most probably be fine but the less the road is used the snowier it is. In heavy snowfall the visibility will suffer too, reducing the speed even more. 

For the same reason, it is mandatory to use lamellar or studded tires during the winter season. In some countries, snow chains are used instead. If you are planning to drive your own car, make yourself familiar with the local laws (dates and types of tires). 

Moreover, aspiring car drivers have to pass slippery road training in car school. The practice consists of regaining control of the vehicle after skidding when braking or turning, as well as adapting driving behaviour on slippery roads. Despite passing the test and being a cautious driver, I lost control of my car and drove off the road in the first winter of my driving career :/ The real-life can be very unexpected sometimes. Do not hesitate to lower your speed if you do not feel comfortable. 

All liquids have a freezing point. So does your windshield washer fluid and gasoline. You must replace the washing fluid with a winter-suitable option in advance. If you forget to do so, in the worst cases, the fluid will freeze on your windshield and the visibility becomes unbearable within a moment! Diesel, for example, is categorised for summer (tolerates temperatures up to -5C) and winter. Winter ones have further categories. For example, category 0 has to tolerate temperatures up to -20C (-4F), category 1 up to -26C etc. 

People often think of bright snow when they think of winter but darkness is another peculiarity and is often described as the most difficult matter to deal with. Length of the day varies between latitudes. The polar night is experienced from latitude 65 and above meaning that Sun will not rise at all. Nevertheless, even smaller latitudes can lack daylight. In latitude 59 for example, the shortest day of the year has sunrise around 9:20 and sunset around 15:20. If you are someone working from 9-5, you will not see any daylight in the morning nor in the evening for seven weeks! Except at the weekends but since during November, December and January the sky is mostly covered with thick clouds, the chances of seeing sunlight are slight anyway. These conditions really make you value any sunlight highly. People try to take a walk during lunchtime to experience any sun rays if an opportunity arises. The dark period triggers melancholy and depression in many people and it is not much you can do about it unless you can go on a sunny holiday. It is not only mental health but physical health overall that is affected by the lack of sunlight. Sunlight is beneficial for vision and beyond: without it, the body cannot synthesize vitamin D. On the good side, as the snow falls the environment will become more bright and in February, the days are already longer and sunny. 

Taking a picture of a frozen lake might not be a good idea in cold temperatures. As soon as the temperatures fall beyond ca -10C (14F), the batteries can´t receive the voltage and die. The colder the temperature the sooner it happens. With -10C it can take just a few minutes before you are unable to use your phone. With a few degrees below zero, it takes around 20 minutes. There is another reason why you probably don´t want to use your phone. It is painful to remove gloves for using the touch screen. You can keep a touch-sensitive pen in your pocket but the phone will die anyway so keep your phone in your interior (bag) pocket and only use it when inside.  

Another problem with cold temperatures (with cold I mean -10C and beyond) is that doors, pipes and many other things are threatened by freezing. For example, people who have summer houses which they do not visit and heat up regularly can face freezing of pipes. Since ice has a lower density than water it expands and the pipes may explode! It is a wise idea to keep a minimal temperature just above freezing point in any room. 

Dressing up warmly can be quite a challenge. The key word is layers. Let´s say, in very cold weather one would wear:

• Undershirt, preferably with long sleeves and made of merino wool,
• Long underwear, tights or leggings (the warmer the better),
• Warm shirt,
• Warm (woolen) sweater,
• Long trousers (jeans or trousers with a warm inner lining and waterproof outer surface),
• Socks,
• Another pair of socks, woolen of course,
• A fluffy scarf,
• Mittens,
• Gloves that go under mittens because just one pair is not enough :)
• Warm hat,
• Long-legged boots and most importantly, with warm inner lining and a size or two bigger than you would normally wear (for the two pairs of socks, remember!).

Naturally, the colder the weather becomes the more layers you can add. The list was more like a starting point :)

But winter is not only about threats and suffering! I want to emphasize that a cold snowy winter is very enjoyable for the majority of inhabitants (when you are well prepared). With snow you can enjoy one of the many winter activities such as skiing, ice skating, sledging, making snowmen, playing snow battles and building a snow fortress, making snow angels or having a breathtaking walk in the winter forest. When thick layers of snow cover trees and ground... there is something truly magical about it. Also, it is fun to walk around in cities since snowmen appear here and there. 

Another pleasant tradition is the making of ice sculptures. Ice sculptures appear usually in parks and public spaces and exhibitions are for free. 

When outside temperatures become colder then naturally it takes more energy to heat the rooms. Luckily, countries that experience harsh winters have sufficient heating systems and the rooms are warm (with some exceptions). Before each heating season, there is a debate, about the energy prices and how much will heating cost this year. An average family with a medium-sized apartment should count on a few hundred extra euros each month for electricity bills. Obviously, when the apartment is bigger or poorly insulated the bills can be much larger, reaching more than 1000 € for big houses each month. 

A popular winter-time activity is ice swimming. On many beaches or lakes, people cut holes in ice to jump into the water and swim there! It takes courage, thick asking and good breathing techniques to enjoy this activity but it is far more common than one would think. People from the north are proud of being a little bit crazy :)