Exactly why is winter "harsh" in MN? (cabin, car)

[Angel Heart]

The obvious is the obvious -- it's brutally cold when you go outside, but what if your job takes place indoors and the only time you really need to go out is to run some errands? I haven't experienced cold like in MN before (I'm a Southie at the moment) so I'm trying to understand this better.

[iNviNciBL3]

Slipping on ice is my main worry, you will find yourself walking like a penguin every now and then when you are outside

[Arushan]

Cabin fever/S.A.D. and possible loneliness.

[BryaninMSP]

Eventually you'll get tired of being indoors all the time and only getting out to do errands. However, we generally have short stretches of really cold weather followed by some positively nice (mid-20s and sunny) days when being outside isn't quite so harsh. That being said, for someone from the south, mid-20s probably doesn't sound all that appealing.

[Ghengis]

one good thing about the cold is, as the frozen dead begin to accumulate on top of the snowbanks (where the plows have pushed them), they don't begin to really start smelling really bad until late April.

[PeachSalsa]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

one good thing about the cold is, as the frozen dead begin to accumulate on top of the snowbanks (where the plows have pushed them), they don't begin to really start smelling really bad until late April.

Well, the exception is when we get that January thaw....sometimes that allows things to get a little interesting....but the crows do cleanup rather well.

[TimtheGuy]

Originally Posted by Angel Heart

The obvious is the obvious -- it's brutally cold when you go outside, but what if your job takes place indoors and the only time you really need to go out is to run some errands? I haven't experienced cold like in MN before (I'm a Southie at the moment) so I'm trying to understand this better.

When you walk outside from car to wherever and the -20 wind chill literally takes the breath out of you.

Typically not too harsh except when there is wind.

[Glenfield]

Because people are whiners and winter gives the wusses something to whine about.

[Apple Tree]

To put it in perspective, out of 365 days per year, the cold weather probably affects my routine maybe 5 to 8 days a year. Otherwise, no big deal. Yeah, it can get cold. But keep in mind that we don't make the Weather Channel when it is a nice, sunny, 35 degree winter day. Only when we have a cold spell which is newsworthy. And that is what forms many peoples opinion of weather in a particular place... 20 seconds on the weather channel.

Sounds like you have the right attitude. Honestly, the main way winter affects my life is when there is heavy snow falling during a commute. Takes longer. But same can be said for many countries across the East, North, and West.

[HighFlyingBird]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

Because people are whiners and winter gives the wusses something to whine about.

They whine about the heat in the summer too