Canadians Are Sharing The Things Newcomers Need To Know To Survive Winter In Canada

How to spot black ice

"Black ice is very difficult to see. Slow down," another chimed in.

"And to be perfectly clear, it isn’t black," said another comment.

"Assume any shiny bits on sidewalks are black ice, not just water from rain/melting snow," another person said.

As one commenter explained, black ice is a clear, thin coating of ice that can form on roads, sidewalks and other surfaces.

Despite being called "black" ice, the ice is actually clear, making it extremely difficult to see.

According to TranBC, black ice usually forms from melting snow on or beside the road, typically after a storm.

It's most likely to appear on roads that don't get very much sunshine, like a tree-lined street or the floor of a mountain valley, so watch out!

The importance of snow tires

"Get snow tires. Yes, you need them," wrote one person in the thread.

"Snow tires on your car will be your best friend," another chimed in.

Another commenter pointed out that in some parts of Canada, snow tires are actually mandatory.

In Quebec, snow tires are mandatory provincewide during the winter driving season, according to Transport Canada.

In B.C., snow tires or tire chains are required on most routes from October 1 to April 30.

What to do in a white out

"Driving in a white out is not recommended," said one commenter.

White outs or snow squalls can create conditions with extremely limited visibility, and driving in these weather events is different than driving in just any old snow storm.

"One moment the roads can be clear, the next you can’t see past the end of your hood," says Driving.ca.

Those who find themselves driving in these conditions are advised to pull over if possible, reduce their speed and make sure that headlights (and emergency hazard lights, if need be) are on.

Winter waddling

As winter in Canada usually involves ice, it makes sense then, that Canadians have a particular method for walking on slippery terrain.

"When you waddle on the ice I call it the 'Winnipeg waddle,'" said one person. Adopting the walk is actually advised all over Canada to lower your risk of falling on ice.

"Learn how to Walk Like a Penguin," says the Government of Alberta. "Walk slowly, take small steps, and point your toes out slightly to be more stable on icy paths."

For those who are visual learners, a handy video is available of just how to do it.

Frost quakes

"The ground can be heard cracking sometimes. It's called a frostquake," said one person.

If you haven't heard a frost quake before, hearing one for the first time can be a bit alarming, but there's nothing to really worry about.

According to AccuWeather, frost quakes are caused by the freezing and expansion of water deep within the earth's crust, which ends up cracking the ground and rock around it.

Unlike earthquakes, frost quakes don't cause any damage. They commonly occur in Canada when the temperatures drop below freezing.

If you hear a loud "BOOM" out of the blue in winter, this might be why!

Wind chill

"Wind chill," one commenter said simply. For anyone who hasn't experienced extreme cold, this is definitely a good term to get familiar with.

The wind in winter can make temperatures feel even colder. Canada uses a wind chill index to inform residents about what the weather actually feels like, so they can make better decisions about how to stay warm.

For instance, while the temperature on a winter day might be -10 C, with a wind chill of -20 C, your face will feel as cold as if it was a calm day with no wind with a temperature of -20 C, according to the government.

Dressing appropriately for the temperature (and taking the wind chill into consideration) can limit the health risks of extreme cold, like frostbite.

"In general, your risk of health effects like windburn and frostbite increase at wind chill values below -27," says Health Canada.

As one Redditor advises, "learn about frostbite by reading about it, not by experiencing it." Agreed!