7 Things About Alberta Winter That I Totally Was Not Prepared For When I Moved

Every outside walk is a challenge

One thing I really hadn't anticipated during the winter in Alberta is how much effort even going for a walk would take. Every time I leave the house, it's like a challenge to stay upright when the streets are covered in snow, or worse, ice.

Even with some decent winter boots on, I still find myself at constant risk of slipping over and my legs start to hurt from tensing so much. Even so, I've still had my fair share of falls which is always super embarrassing.

Layering clothes is a nightmare

The weather changes so much in Alberta choosing how many layers of clothes to wear isn't that simple. Not enough layers and you'll freeze. Too many and you'll be sweating even when the temperature is sub-zero.

Not to mention if you go from the cold air outside and into a shop with its heating is on full blast, all those layers have to come off again.

Calgary has the added challenge of being pretty sunny most of the time so it can feel a lot warmer than the weather forecast says.

Weather changes can give you migraines

Even though winters are super long in Alberta, people always talk about chinooks, when the warm air travels down the mountains and suddenly it gets pretty warm again. It's always really nice to have a few warm days to break up a minus-30 stint.

However, if you're prone to migraines (which unfortunately I am), the rapid change in weather can actually set them off. While it's so nice to have some warm weather, it does come at a cost.

Your hair will freeze

When the temperatures plunge, one of the weirdest sensations is feeling your hair freeze. After a few minutes of being outside, I'll come back inside with bright white hair which is always weird to see.

Eyebrows, eyelashes and beards are also not safe and it's a feeling I probably won't ever get used to.

It takes forever to get anywhere

Something people don't really mention is how long it takes to get anywhere when the winter weather hits. To being with, you spend forever putting on coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots before you've even left the house.

If you're walking anywhere, you'll need to make sure you've got plenty of time because you'll spend so long shuffling down the street to avoid slipping.

Even if you're heading out in the car, getting the snow off, deicing and even just getting out onto the roads is a lot of work.

Everything gets dirty

One of my biggest pet peeves when winter comes around is how dirty everything gets. Even when I try my very hardest to keep my icy and salt-covered boots in the hall, the grit gets everywhere.

Mopping the floor becomes a second job.

Alberta is actually stunning in the winter

While I was kind of excited to spend some time in an actual snowy climate (the U.K. just gets rain), nothing could prepare me for just how gorgeous Alberta is in the snow.

Heading up to the mountains and visiting towns like Banff and Canmore honestly look like something straight out of a Hallmark movie and there's nothing nicer than getting cozy at home while it's snowing outside.