Winter in Canada can be very beautiful. However, if you are new to living in a place with a snowy winter, you need to know some important information about going outside in the cold! To help you prepare and enjoy your Canadian winter, read this!
Wind Chill
The first thing we need to address is wind chill. It’s a word we use a lot in Canada because we often think about the wind chill when we are deciding what to wear. Wind chill is different than temperature, it’s actually the temperature + the wind = heat loss. Depending on how windy it is, the wind can take your body heat away faster than just the low temperature. Many schools and workplaces consider wind chill when deciding to do outdoor activities. For example, some daycare centres in Ontario will not take children outside to play if the windchill is at -20C.
For more information (or an extra reading challenge!) about wind chill follow this link to the Canadian Encyclopedia.
Frostbite
The next thing you need to know is that the cold can be more than just a nuisance. It can be dangerous. When the temperatures are very low, there is a risk of frostbite. What is frostbite? Read this explanation from Caringforkids.cps.ca (2022),
In cold temperatures, skin that isn’t properly covered or protected can freeze quickly. When skin freezes it’s called frostbite. The most common body parts to get frostbite are the cheeks, ears, nose, fingers, and toes. Skin will first become red and swollen and will feel like it is stinging or burning.
If the skin isn’t protected or warmed, it will start to feel like it’s tingling and will look grey.
If the skin freezes, the area will have no feeling and will be shiny and white.
Frostbite can happen in cold wind, rain, or snow. Once a part of the body has had frostbite, it’s more likely to happen again.
But don’t worry, frostbite isn’t really a danger every day! According to Winter Wise by Technical Standards & Safety Authority (2022) wind chill at or below -25C is when you need to be extra careful:
-25 risk of frostbite to exposed skin
-35 frostbite in 10 minutes or less
-60 frostbite in less than 2 minutes
So, it’s important to wear enough clothes to prevent frostbite. Often, we don't feel how cold it really is until we've been outside for 5 minutes. Wear warm boots (preferably no heels) and warm thick socks. It's best to have waterproof snow boots because there is always plenty of slush! Of course it doesn't need to be said that you should wear a long sleeve shirt, sweater, and warm pants, but also consider wearing a vest. Always wear a hat (if it's a knit hat, does it have a fleece under layer?) and a water resistant jacket. If it's water resistant, it should also be wind resistant. Most importantly remember to:
cover up all exposed skin and, don’t wear anything too tight
layer your clothing
mittens are often warmer than gloves
To learn more about frostbite and your children, click here to visit the Canadian Paediatric Society. Remember to have fun out there!
For more practice, print out this PDF
Vocabulary Focus
Use these extra examples below to better understand the meaning of the bolded words from the article. After you’ve tried to understand the meaning of the word on your own, look up the words in the dictionary.
Hmmm, it’s -18C outside, and it feels like -25C because of the wind chill. Still, I don’t feel like putting on all my layers; it’s such a nuisance! It takes me five minutes to get out of the house.
I definitely think you have frostbite, your ears are really red and swollen! I know you were only out there for 20 minutes, but you didn’t wear a hat!
My ears are stinging. They feel like they are on fire! I also feel them tingling. It’s like little needles are poking me!
Last year my sister wore a beautiful pair of high heeled leather boots. Unfortunately she had to stop wearing them because she kept slipping and falling on the ice. The heel was just too tall and unstable. In addition, all the road salt and mud in the melted snow stained the boots and damaged the leather. Slush is worst!
It’s January and I’m finally all set for winter! I have a wool hat that my mother knitted for me. She added an extra layer of fleece on the inside, so now it’s super soft and I’m not itchy from the wool! I also bought a fleece vest on clearance on line. It’s great because I get an extra layer of warmth, but my arms don’t get too warm.
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