I like it here in Northern BC, it is really like a less-harsh version of a Yellowknife Winter. They get the snow, the dry days, the clear skies and some of the temperatures. Yes only some of the temperatures. Fort St Johners, in my books, you got it good, so don’t complain. I do suppose it is what you are use to though.
On average I would say Fort St John and the rest of Northern BC is about 10 degrees warmer than the Yellowknife temperatures I have experienced. Right now in Fort St John it is -24°C, which to anyone in Yellowknife sounds pleasant and enjoyable, but not to the people here. Apparently these are the cold temperatures. That’s not the only thing which bugs me.
Lets talk about our little friend the Wind Chill. The Wind Chill does not determine the weather. Yes I agree the wind can be a b!tch, but dress properly than. The Wind Chill will only affect exposed skin, so wear a jack that wind proof and a toque. And since we are on the topic, lets talk about vehicles in the winter.
Turns out the Wind Chill doesn’t affect a vehicle, at all! Vehicles also don’t really need to be plugged in until at least -20°C and I have proof, it is called Yellowknife being below 0 for 6 months at a time. Plugging you car in at -10°C will just waste you energy. I don’t even have a powered parking spot and I have yet to have a problem, although admittedly it is getting colder out and I can tell it is harder to turn over. Same goes to you desiel truck boys, they don’t need to idle all night in -15°C.
I am crazy yes, and this is a rant of sort, but I don’t think many people are aware of some of these things, or just are not prepared to live in the area.
Why do you think around 75% of Canadians live within 100
miles of the U.S. border?! It’s too cold up north. I grew up in FSJ
and now live in Kamloops so I’ve definitely become climatized to
the south. To the minority (people from further North than FSJ) –
24 C with a windchill of -36 might not seem very cold but to the
majority (people living in the south) that is an absolutely
freezing temperature that is barely fathomable! When I tell some of
my friends from the U.S. how cold it gets where I grew up they
can’t believe it and can’t even imagine living in a place that gets
that cold. Perspective 🙂
Yes, you’re right, it is all perspective and I suppose I am bias. My biggest argument, for Fort St John anyways, is how we boast being northern, but than can’t handle the cold.