A good chunk of Kansas has received their first snow, with some of it happening on Halloween this year. (Yikes!) For those of us who are new to the state or new to snow, here’s a list of things to help you prepare for the upcoming Kansas winter. That is, if it doesn’t wait until March to happen!
1.You’ll hate the wind more than the snow.
Lee Adlaf/Flickr The snow is a little annoying if you’re trying to travel, but the real killer is the wind. It stings and never ends, so you’d better get a coat that doesn’t let the wind in!
- If you hate the cold, head south to Texas where it’s warm.
H G/Flickr Texas is a magical place that’s usually really warm while we have our cold, and you can find tumbleweed “snowmen” sitting around instead.
- You can most definitely get a sunburn during the winter.
gotsumbeers/Flickr Because it’s not hot outside, many forget that the sun can still burn you, and if there’s snow on the ground, it can be even worse than a normal sunburn. The more you know!
- Most of the “big winter storms” and “polar vortexes” we get aren’t that bad.
brent flanders/Flickr Unless they’re bringing ice, there’s not much to worry about. Odds are the snow won’t stick or it’s melted away as soon as the sun comes out.
- Black Ice is actually something to worry about.
simpleinsomnia/Flickr It’s a deadly condition where a thin sheet of ice forms on the road, causing cars to lose traction suddenly and even wreck because they can’t slow down or turn.
- Ice storms are our worst enemy.
KOMUnews/Flickr They can take out power for days, leaving us freezing in our homes or looking for shelter elsewhere. Even if they don’t take out your power, they can topple trees and cause damage to your car or home. Yikes!
- In small towns, don’t be surprised if your neighbor has a shovel on their truck.
jobischaeffer/Flickr Odds are there are more than a couple people in town equipped to help out with the sudden snow problem. They work hard and try to clear places we need to travel most.
- It sometimes snows in May.
Alan Levine/Flickr It’s not something that happens often, but it does happen. Of course, we hope it doesn’t become the norm.
- Before a storm is rumored to hit, every small town runs out of bread and milk.
Bart/Flickr Shipments to stores generally can’t come in if the roads are too bad, so when people panic and buy every essential, they have nothing to replace it with. Time to try that gluten free pita bread!
- Put your wipers up every night.
Molly/Flickr If you even suspect there will be snow, reach for the sky and save your blades from being frozen to your windshield.
- Clean the snow off your roof too, while you’re scraping your window.
Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr If you don’t clean it off, it could dislodge as you drive and blind the person behind you. No one wants to be blinded while they’re driving in the snow!
- Assume no one knows how to drive in this weather.
john levanen/Flickr Speaking of driving, all of the crazy people will come out and suddenly get on the road, making driving dangerous. They don’t seem to understand that driving slow is key to everyone making it home safe.
- Nothing’s more beautiful than Kansas covered in snow.
David DeHetre/Flickr No matter the cold or inconvenience, when you’re somewhere warm with a hot drink, the snow covering our beautiful state makes it that much prettier.
What other tips would you tell new arrivals? While you’re out there in the cold, maybe you should explore some of our favorite towns that look like snow globe scenes when the weather’s just right.
Lee Adlaf/Flickr
The snow is a little annoying if you’re trying to travel, but the real killer is the wind. It stings and never ends, so you’d better get a coat that doesn’t let the wind in!
H G/Flickr
Texas is a magical place that’s usually really warm while we have our cold, and you can find tumbleweed “snowmen” sitting around instead.
gotsumbeers/Flickr
Because it’s not hot outside, many forget that the sun can still burn you, and if there’s snow on the ground, it can be even worse than a normal sunburn. The more you know!
brent flanders/Flickr
Unless they’re bringing ice, there’s not much to worry about. Odds are the snow won’t stick or it’s melted away as soon as the sun comes out.
simpleinsomnia/Flickr
It’s a deadly condition where a thin sheet of ice forms on the road, causing cars to lose traction suddenly and even wreck because they can’t slow down or turn.
KOMUnews/Flickr
They can take out power for days, leaving us freezing in our homes or looking for shelter elsewhere. Even if they don’t take out your power, they can topple trees and cause damage to your car or home. Yikes!
jobischaeffer/Flickr
Odds are there are more than a couple people in town equipped to help out with the sudden snow problem. They work hard and try to clear places we need to travel most.
Alan Levine/Flickr
It’s not something that happens often, but it does happen. Of course, we hope it doesn’t become the norm.
Bart/Flickr
Shipments to stores generally can’t come in if the roads are too bad, so when people panic and buy every essential, they have nothing to replace it with. Time to try that gluten free pita bread!
Molly/Flickr
If you even suspect there will be snow, reach for the sky and save your blades from being frozen to your windshield.
Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr
If you don’t clean it off, it could dislodge as you drive and blind the person behind you. No one wants to be blinded while they’re driving in the snow!
john levanen/Flickr
Speaking of driving, all of the crazy people will come out and suddenly get on the road, making driving dangerous. They don’t seem to understand that driving slow is key to everyone making it home safe.
David DeHetre/Flickr
No matter the cold or inconvenience, when you’re somewhere warm with a hot drink, the snow covering our beautiful state makes it that much prettier.
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