How To Prepare For A Winter In Buffalo? (Boston, Cleveland: Home Depot, purchasing)

[genoobie]

Don't try and go without boots in the wintertime. The first cold slushy puddle you step in and get your feet soaking wet will seal the deal on a miserable experience. Winter is great, but only if you're high and dry and warm. Scraping ice and snow off the car is a pain (so if you can use the bus or something that's preferable, plus good exercise and you can read while traveling). Good luck! Hats and gloves, don't skimp! Be prepared to spend some cash for quality stuff.

[JH6]

You need a good pair of boots, and keep them dry when they are in the house. Nothing worse than putting on wet boots.

Get a good down coat, I like columbia. Get a scarf hat and good goretex filled gloves.

Keep a shovel in your car and a bag of sand if you get stuck.

Most important is a good set of tires with deep tread. Nothing sucks more than bald tires in the winter around here. Snow tires are best but honestly unless you live in the unplowed country (or the city of buffalo, lol) you won't need them.

Have your antifreeze drained and refilled with 50/50 coolant and water. In the south you use more water and you might cause damage to your engine or radiator when it freezes here. Also have your battery checked and replaced if necessary.

Its a long winter, also buy a AAA membership for when you get stuck somewhere and need a tow out.

I'll trade ya, I can't wait to move to Texas, I've had it with winters here.

My winter exercise consists of shoveling my driveway, and mall walking.

[jblake78728]

Originally Posted by JustinH

Have your antifreeze drained and refilled with 50/50 coolant and water. In the south you use more water and you might cause damage to your engine or radiator when it freezes here.

This really isn't the concern it was 10+ years ago. A GM like SouthernYankee's '03 Avalanche doesn't use old fashioned green coolant & water (in fact most cars on the road no longer use this). If she has red or pink GM coolant in her car she will be fine if she has green somebody put the wrong stuff in. Any reputable shop is going to put the coolant the manufacturer recommends in the vehicle whether they are in Texas, Florida or Minnesota.

Originally Posted by JustinH

I'll trade ya, I can't wait to move to Texas, I've had it with winters here.

You should move to Austin so I can sell ya my house. We love the winter & will never move back to a place that doesn't have one.



I don't really have a lot to add to the other comments as it seems like everyone has given you solid info.

[TKDMOM12]

I have lived in Buffalo for all of my life. Some winters are not as bad as others. Don't go nuts withbuying excessive gear and clothing. A few basics, decent pair of boots, rock salt for driveways and a shovel/snow blowers are basics. I have seen 10 feet+ of snow drop overnight -- but, that IS rare. Typically, minor snowfall and the majority of main roads are cleared quickly. Suburban side streets are cleared much quicker than the city streets. As for kids -- Down coat, mittens, hat & scarf. I typically buy Abercrombie or Hollister for my 10 year old and they keep her warm at the bus stop. Stock up on a few neccessities for your pantry and have flashlights, radio, etc available for any power outages. Buffalo winters have a bad rep around the nation, but from what I understand, Chicago's are much worse and make Buffalo look like a walk in the park. Good luck!

[BigD_JT_14221]

Originally Posted by TKDMOM12

I have lived in Buffalo for all of my life. Some winters are not as bad as others. Don't go nuts withbuying excessive gear and clothing. A few basics, decent pair of boots, rock salt for driveways and a shovel/snow blowers are basics. I have seen 10 feet+ of snow drop overnight -- but, that IS rare. Typically, minor snowfall and the majority of main roads are cleared quickly. Suburban side streets are cleared much quicker than the city streets. As for kids -- Down coat, mittens, hat & scarf. I typically buy Abercrombie or Hollister for my 10 year old and they keep her warm at the bus stop. Stock up on a few neccessities for your pantry and have flashlights, radio, etc available for any power outages. Buffalo winters have a bad rep around the nation, but from what I understand, Chicago's are much worse and make Buffalo look like a walk in the park. Good luck!

When exactly did Buffalo ever get "10 feet+ of snow overnight"??? Did you mean 10 inches?
And no, Chicago winters are not worse in terms of snowfall. Chicago averages 38 inches of snow a yr. Their worst winter on record was 1978/79 and they still only got 89.7 inches, which is about an average to slightly below average winter for Buffalo. If you meant they were worse by temperature, that also doesn't appear correct. Just Google average temps for each city and you'll see they are very close.

[Southern_Yankee]

Speaking of winter.... Where is it?! Not that I'm in any rush, but I was certain there would be tons of snow here by now.

Thank you for all of your responses! As silly as the original question may have been, your answers have been extremely helpful. I think we're just about set. Actually, my son is ready for the snow, but I am far from prepared. Coats and boots are so expensive and with Christmas around the corner, I can't see spending the money on myself.

[njsocks]

Definitely practice driving when you come here...

Speaking of winter.... Where is it?! Not that I'm in any rush, but I was certain there would be tons of snow here by now.

Actually we have had a fairly unseasonably warm pre-winter so far! No accumulation yet has fallen here! It's nice actually. We may get some this weekend supposedly... We will see.
My kids wear Northface jackets, thinsulated gloves and lots of layers of clothing..........I just purchased Uggs for my daughter for Xmas!

One good thing about surrounding areas of Buffalo is we have a great hwy dept. system for snow removal. Living in the burbs, I have never had a problem and they are out sanding before the snow falls when they are predicting it beforehand! In NJ it was horrible, sometimes a plow didn't come for days! My husband missed a few days of work on diff. occasions because the area couldn't follow through with simple plowing! Horrendous actually! Now the city of Buffalo is another story lol.

Where do you buy your everyday winter gear? We have a Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, and REI gear here in Dallas but I have no idea what stores to shop in Buffalo. We've never needed much for winter. Our coats were more of a fashion statement than anything. Last winter I didn't buy a coat, just sweaters and pullovers.

Red Door Ski Shop in Williamsville. Great place...or Dicks or Eastern Mountain Sports....

Southern- how do you like it here so far? what town have you moved to?

[Jenmar1024]

Originally Posted by Southern_Yankee

Speaking of winter.... Where is it?! Not that I'm in any rush, but I was certain there would be tons of snow here by now.

Thank you for all of your responses! As silly as the original question may have been, your answers have been extremely helpful. I think we're just about set. Actually, my son is ready for the snow, but I am far from prepared. Coats and boots are so expensive and with Christmas around the corner, I can't see spending the money on myself.

Whoa..slow down It WILL come but don't be disappointed if it takes awhile I remember a GREEN Christmas one year...that was a sad and disappointing year.

[donbuy]

Originally Posted by Southern_Yankee

That being said, I am absolutely clueless as to what I need to be prepared for a Buffalo winter.

The exact same way you would prepare for a Denver, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Cleveland, Detroit, Boston or Pittsburgh Winter. Nothing more, nothing less. They are all about the same some are colder, some warmer, some have less snow, some like Denver get snow much earlier and later, but in the end the differences are immaterial. A winter coat, some gloves, boots and all season tires and you are good to go.

[rock_chalk]

The Canadians have snow. Not sticking in NY yet.
National Weather Service Forecast Office - WFO Buffalo, New York