European Reacts: 5 Winter Objects I Only Used After Moving to America

[@european-reacts]

Feel free to hit the like button and subscribe for more content. I would also love to hear your suggestions for future reactions-drop them in the comments below!🙏

[@Whoozerdaddy]

No danger of damaging the glass on your car with the scraper, since the glass is much, much harder than plastic. It actually snows in every one of the 50 states. Not every winter and not every place in the state, but it does indeed snow in Florida.

[@jdm1066]

During the Polar Vortex a few years ago it hit -52F or -47C in Chicago.

[@augiegirl1]

Three days before Christmas a year ago (2022), which just happened to be my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, the temperature didn't get above 0 Fahrenheit in Topeka (Northeastern) Kansas; I had to jump-start my car because of the cold.

[@seanpatton7406]

André, speaking of weather and when to plan a trip to 🇺🇸. A few days ago (Jan 2024), a *MASSIVE COLD FRONT* was going from the West Coast to the entire East Coast. Many States/Cities had to cancel School that particular day due to when the front was coming through. Temperatures were below 0°F in *MANY STATES!!!* ❄️🌨️🥶☃️....an NFL 🏈 Playoff game had to be postponed for a few days later in Buffalo, New York!!! That *RARELY HAPPENS*

[@augiegirl1]

@@seanpatton7406 During the KC/Miami game on Saturday, it was so cold that Patrick Mahomes helmet actually CRACKED! It was the fourth coldest game in NFL history, -4 degrees plus a windchill at kickoff!

[@BH6242KCh]

It's so cold, I saw a politician with his hands in his own pockets.

[@elisekuby2009]

You too, huh?

[@dellison58]

😂😂😂

[@Monster-ks2yx]

He was prolly shocked he had pockets.

[@cpMetis]

This last weak has been... fun, as a mail carrier. Nobody talks about how annoying it is to have to de-ice your eyelashes.

[@Sapphires_And_Dreams]

Holy crap, that has to be a rough job in winter, and you must also be in one of the states that has been getting absolutely slammed right now (as am I). Honestly, anyone doing your job or similar in these conditions is a boss in my book. Seriously. I have no idea how you do it.

[@Craterface666]

Busted my back delivering mail almost 20 years ago in Maine, now I walk with a cane 😂. I definitely dont miss those days. Llvs are drafty and cold af, have no traction. My route had 12 miles walking and about an hour driving everyday (1 hr overburdened). Be careful on that ice, and don't overdo it. They push hard and act like its so important to go fast and work hard, but if you do too much, they won't give a crap when you're disabled. Now I'm a stay home dad with 2 kids; much better work, but the pay is shitty as the diapers.

[@george217]

But you do get to drive a vehicle designed by Northop Grumman...

[@terryhiggins5077]

​@@george217 you beat me to it 😅

[@george217]

@@terryhiggins5077 The Mailcat...

[@frand9174]

The face shield is necessary not just for the cold but for the wind. There's a thing called wind burn. Like a sunburn, your face becomes red and painful for days. As it heals, the skin can peel, just like sunburn. There's also a chance for frostbite on your nose and ears. The face shield may look silly, but it's very important to wear one.

[@certiPHIer]

Downside of faceshield is it makes my glasses fog up by keeping my humid breath to close to my glasses. I wish they made some with nostril straws going through it. Would look really odd, but would be better than the version with a hole at the mouth which would require me to become a mouth-breather.

[@here4thealibi]

@@certiPHIer I have had the same problem. I've only needed one for skiing as I live in the south, but I know what you mean.

[@karlamackey4675]

@@certiPHIer The problem with a face shield is that once you've been out a few minutes, it gets wet around your mouth because your breathing through it. It makes it even colder because it's directly against your skin.

[@bloodyfunguy9025]

Yeah, I think a lot of people in less wintery climates don't realize it's not just cold in the American Midwest, it's also really windy. He mentioned that people wear them while skiing over there, and we wear them for the same reason. The only difference is that we get that kind of wind exposure standing still lol

[@grumblesa10]

Yeah, but that's a Balaclava, "Ski Mask" or just a hat. A "Faceshield" is what you wear when welding/cutting something...

[@ronsamson537]

Reporting from Canada. It is currently -25C, a few days ago it was -38C. But it was also windy, so the wind chill brought it down to -58C. Some kind of face and neck covering is absolutely necessary when its that cold because exposed skin will freeze and die in only a few minutes at those temperatures.

[@charlottewood8964]

Same temps in Minot ND. And Cheyenne Wyoming

[@MySerpentine]

I remember one time when I was a kid the sun was shining, the mercury was frozen in the thermometer even with the sun right on it and I still had to go to school.

[@adamrussell9389]

@@charlottewood8964 I live in Green River and just as bad!

[@avatar997]

Canada makes the best cold-weather gear.

[@ronsamson537]

While this is generally true, northern Europe has some great gear as well. But you can stay warm even without high quality name brand gear. Your best bet for staying warm when forced to spend time in the cold is to dress in layers. Lots of wool and at least one water resistant wind blocking layer. Avoid synthetic fabrics if there is even the smallest possibility that you might get damp or sweat even a little because it immediately looses insulation when wet and if its wet because of sweat you will never be able to wash the stink out. It is unseasonably warm right now. Just under the freeze point. Its pleasant, but very odd. Still cold though because its blowing 42km/h.@@avatar997

[@CarolynAguila-fe6cc]

I'm from and live in Chicago. Since last Thursday, we've been under a weather warning, meaning conditions are dangerous. Yesterday's temperature was -6 F, or -21 C. This was without the windchill factor. Today was not much better, but tomorrow...well tomorrow, we should reach the balmy temperature of 19 F, or -7 C. Still, I love my city. I just make peace with winter every year.

[@cooking60210]

I love that kind of weather! Like, it's -10! I'm sure school will be canceled? But no!

[@krisschobelock4973]

Ya, Chicago gets all the lake wind . . beautiful city though -- like in Ohio if you live near Lake Erie --- burrrrrr! Those lake winds . . smh!

[@galatisc1880]

No snow but we’re in -12 F or -24.5 C up in Minnesota and that is not counting the strong winds we get every so often, just happy that I don’t have to go shovel for 20+ minutes

[@MeanLaQueefa]

In Wisconsin-26 today.

[@SonicBlueTyphoon]

@cooking60210 I live in MN. Closing school for -10F never happens. It's gotta be worse than that to cancel.

[@martha3445]

Snow shovels are different from regular shovels. They're lighter because you're not digging into the ground. They're wider so you can cover a larger area. They're smooth so the snow slips off easily. You couldn't dig a hole with a snow shovel.

[@mpetersen6]

They are also great for scooping up yard waste in the fall for cleanup

[@certiPHIer]

Regular metal shovels are terrible for moving snow, as too much of the snow freezes to the metal, so it just gets heavier and heavier, and moves less and less snow...

[@hectorsmommy1717]

​@@mpetersen6 Yup. I use mine like a giant dustpan

[@mpetersen6]

@@hectorsmommy1717 Also when bagging leaves etc I use a half height garbage can. Bags are either bios the city picks or I reuse contractor bags when I go to the dump site. The city composts yard waste which is free to residents.

[@hectorsmommy1717]

@@mpetersen6 I don't bag leaves. I either leave them where they are or rake them into my garden. In the spring I rake them back on the lawn so they can get shredded by the mower and compost the grass. Our city also has free compost for residents as well as free mulch. Once a year they have a city wide brush pickup plus residents can bring their brush/tree limbs/trees. They all get chipped and made available.

[@dawnelder9046]

The beauty of the snow blower is it moves the snow far enough away that you don't end up with 10 foot snow banks on each side of your driveway.

[@jjbud3124]

Snow shovels are very hard work. My brother-in-law had a heart attack and died in his driveway from shoveling snow. Snow can be very heavy and is exhausting to shovel.

[@supermellow1x265]

And then you have slush, slush is the bane of my existence. Much heavier than snow, and a bitch to try and, in my case, ride in. As I live in a small town and just ride my mountain bike everywhere, even in winter.

[@lilolmecj]

Those removable boot liners are so great! The first time I saw them I ordered a pair for my toddler son. Not only are they designed to come out on purpose, not accidentally like many lined boots, but they dry more quickly, normally are hand or machine washable.

[@bcase5328]

Yes, you leave a pair of shoes at your office building to put on inside. I remember mid-west winters, my feet starting to thaw at about 9:00 AM, an hour after being inside the school. Fashion be damned; I am going to have warm feet. Yes, the US mid-west gets below -40 C temperatures with over 65 K/hour winds. Chicago gets Lake Effect Wind barrowing down from Canada.

[@badplay156]

My cousin married a man from Puerto Rico. She is from Canada and was living in Florida. He had never even seen snow. They went to visit her parents who lived in a northern Canadian city. It was the dead of winter. When they arrived (by plane) it was -40°. He thought they were crazy for living there.

[@mialiahh9228]

Shhh. The fact that Canadian's are actually crazy is a national secret. 😉

[@Elizabeth-rq1vi]

I’ve lived in Canada for 66 yrs and every year I ask myself as I scrape the windshield “and I live here why?”😂 I just love living in Canada.

[@mialiahh9228]

@@Elizabeth-rq1vi I ask that a lot. Then I see a picture of, like, a Huntsman spider and am like 'That's why I live where the air hurts my face!' xD

[@leoismaking]

I'm a Puerto Rican but I studied in Syracuse, NY, and we hit -40 with wind chill a couple of times. The funny thing is now I live in Georgia and after the 4 years in 'cuse I think its hilarious how bad the GA locals are at dealing with the snow.

[@kenk9341]

Where I grew up, you needed a "face shield" (before these we had heavy wool scarves) to keep ice out of your lungs on -40 Celsius days, sometimes -50. So much easier to breath without inhaling ice particles.

[@jasonmajere2165]

12:00 inner boot insulation comes out so it’s easier to dry out. Things get wet.

[@Framed-Naraht]

Ice Scrapers are used even in areas without a lot of snow, when it gets cold. Glass is very strong, and the scrapers while they are hard plastic, aren't going to cause any damage if you're using them correctly, and it would take a lot to cause damage intentionally with one.

[@johnhaller5851]

When you rent a car, and they didn't leave an ice scraper, a credit card will work in a pinch. Just don't use your primary card.

[@kenvalentine5341]

I have an ice scraper with a brass edge. It doesn't damage as easily as one with a plastic edge, but the brass is still softer than window glass so it won't scratch the windshield. I also use rubber boots with metal clasps, and installed an old pair of loafers in the boots, so I have the equivalent of the illustrated "wrestling boots" inside the rubber boots, and can easily get the rubber boots on and off.

[@Jenissuperhero]

It was so cold here my neighbor did brake her windshield while scraping the ice off two days ago.

[@bradkirchhoff5703]

@jenissuperhero- that means she had a crack in the windshield. They dont just break unless there is a crack somewhere. This is exactly why they tell you to fix your cracks in your widshield no matter how small they might be.

[@Trifler500]

7:58 - That's why ice scrapers are made of plastic and not metal. Metal would scratch the glass, but plastic does not.

[@ArsonMHU]

California has a lot of different climates. We have temperate sunny areas, foggy rainy areas, snowfall and skiing, and scorching desert. The hottest temperature ever recorded was recorded in California (134.1 °F, 56.7 °C), yet there are parts of California where the roads are constantly blocked by snow and has gotten down to (−45 °F, −43 °C). It all just really depends on what part of California you go to.

[@DehydratedHumor]

It's also not based on latitude. Parts of northern California have several days/weeks in the summer that reach 115F or 46C and there are mountains in southern California that see snow. As someone whose lived in every region of the US I can pretty confidently say everywhere has some form of extreme weather; temperature based, natural disaster based, or both.

[@jasoncordial4730]

Hippies.

[@megnotmegan1966]

@@jasoncordial4730yeah I live in California and resemble that remark lol

[@dejavu666wampas9]

Born and raised in Minnesota, this is very amusing, because we grew up with all these as common items.

[@jongrho602]

Before you scrape off the ice on your windshield, you would turn on your engine and the defroster. Wait 20 minutes+ and a very thin part of the ice closest to the windshield would melt, so when you used the ice scrapper you would not damage your windshield. I grew up in NYC and we rarely had winters where you would constantly need to do this. But the first year after I moved to Pennsylvania, there was a winter with 13 snow storms in a row and the roads were covered in ice until April so I had to do that ever day for over 3 months. After the first snow storm, I realized my sports sedan was useless in the winter so I bought my first 4WD SUV. The day after it was delivered the second one hit and it was 30 inches deep so even the SUV was useless.

[@OriginalGlorfindel]

Or you can cover the glass with a bath sheet or beach towel, just lift it off and go!

[@savian_is_spooked]

Ayyye I live in PA, moved here a few years ago from VA, and we are getting hammered with snow these last two weeks. Fun fact, they make a windshield cover that you put on your car at night so ice can't get on your windshield. No need for defrosting or scraping.

[@jongrho602]

@@savian_is_spooked My experiences were in 93. Don't know if those existed then. And if they did, no way to find out since internet back then was only for educational institutions.

[@ingegerdandersson6963]

You dont put on the engine for more than 1 minute were I live as its against the law to have it rundning for longer without moving. But you can use a engine heatet and cabin heater so the Car is wars when you drive of.

[@OriginalGlorfindel]

@@ingegerdandersson6963 Different states have different idle limit laws. Looked it up in CDL school. You should too, just good to know!

[@Trifler500]

For anyone familiar with a rototiller for tilling the soil, a snowblower is almost exactly the same, except for snow instead of dirt. That and they blow the snow out the top.

[@donaldstewart8342]

The only thing they have common is the engine

[@Trifler500]

@@donaldstewart8342 I've used many of both. Operating them is very similar. They even sell some that can perform both tasks.

[@teressareeves5856]

Growing up in Wyoming where the wind just almost never stops, we would totally wrap up our faces with mufflers, scarves, turtleneck sweaters, totally layered the face & head. Using just a balaclava was not near enough protection from the blasts of cold wind. To this day, I have no less than 3 mufflers every winter just in case it's bitterly cold & the wind is sneering at us frozen humans.

[@auntlynnie]

Having lived in Wyoming, I definitely know what you mean!

[@glenn6583]

Got to respect the Eskimos and our Canadian cousins!

[@teressareeves5856]

@shannonmay5685 It does have a tendency that way which is why all of the snow fences. Had a tourist from back east in the late '90s comment on the unusual art installations along the highways, she really thought they were awesome. Her facial response when I explained that they were snow fences to help keep the highways open in the winter...priceless. And then to hear her tell her husband that they needed to come back in the winter so she could see the snow fences in action!

[@jasonpatterson8091]

I live in northern Michigan in part of the state that gets something called "lake effect snow." As wind crosses the Great Lakes it picks up lots of additional moisture and dumps it all as snow on the first few miles of land (and to a lesser degree 10 - 20 miles further inland). I love winter and snow cover, but I will freely admit that I'm ready for it to be gone by the time early April rolls around and the snow still hasn't melted.

[@barbaramelone1043]

I live in Cleveland, Ohio, so I can totally relate to lake effect snow.

[@connielocke9700]

NW PA and Buffalo, NY get lake effect snow every year usually between 50 and 100 inches per winter along with the wind.

[@lilolmecj]

I have never lived where it gets and stays bitterly cold and stays. In mid April 2020 hubby and I drove from Washington DC to Washington state across the upper part of the country. I was quite surprised how much snow there was everywhere until we got to eastern Washington, where it started to be more temperate! Y’all are tough!

[@hellhound1389]

You're preaching to the choir. I live in NW Indiana and get hit regularly with lake effect. As a matter of fact we're getting it right now

[@Basketball069]

Lots of snow in Petoskey

[@jmarie-nw8jf]

I'm from North Dakota (plains & prairie) and our temps get extreme. Winter temps can easily get to -20s F or -28 C and summers can easily get to triple digits at the height of it 101 F or 39 C - really humid as well. I love watching Laurence and reaction videos. Very fun video!

[@readmerandi]

I also live in Illinois about a hour away from Chicago this is normal for our winters. I was laughing through this videos at your reactions to what we all have and need for the cold and snow. But there are a lot of states that don’t even get snow. 😂

[@homeonegreen9]

The crazy thing is that Ohio is the same latitude as Italy.

[@european-reacts]

Thats crazy actually 🤯

[@raisinette35]

@@european-reacts I lived in NE Ohio for 45 years and experienced Lake effect snow every year! I have known it to be as low as -40! It was brutal! I never want to see snow again except in pictures!!!

[@eTraxx]

Thing is that Portugal which is basically at the same latitude is warmed by the Gulf Stream

[@meaders2002]

Not in Chicago but along the Canadian border in Montana and North Dakota each year, the temperature gets to -40°C. It's what is called a killing cold.

[@thatbroad5848]

@@raisinette35screw that lake! Lol. Pittsburgher here. (Sorry for whichever Ohio team you rock. Let’s hate the Ravens together) Italy? My lord, then Canada really is our damn curse!

[@Liz-sz2ee]

Before I even pulled up your video I burst out laughing! Laurence, holding a snow shovel, with your caption of “What’s this For?” Made me laugh. I know there are a whole bunch of people who have never seen a snow shovel before, no reason why they should, but I had just come in from shoveling my front walk (again!) and it just startled me. You are very lucky you have never had to shovel snow, trust me! Nice video, thanks!

[@sirgalahad3574]

My inventory. At least 5 snow shovels, 2 snow blowers (only one of which manages to work at any time), an ice scraper in every car, neoprene boots and plenty of Winter face masks. We received 18" of snow over the past 3 days.

[@Maze-MN]

In Minnesota with temps 15 F below and wind chill 35 F below with 10 inches of fresh snow, we may need all of these items in our arsenal...but not always.

[@catterin7815]

I grew up in Los Angeles California. It's not uncommon to have hot winters (80-105F) What most people don't realize is that Los Angeles has mountains to the east which typically are covered in snow during the winters. It's one of the only places where you can go to the beach where it is hot than drive to the mountains and ski on the same day. This was one of the benefits when they had the Olympics in 1984 when the winter and summer events were held at the same time. (Before they were split to winter and summer Olympics.)

[@reneezemlock7880]

I live in Wisconsin... literally everyone I know that owns a home, also owns a snowblower. When I lived in Raleigh, North Carolina, I had to show some fellow students and the park n' ride how to use their school ID or DL to clear the ice off of their car windshields.

[@lamp8112]

I live in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area and it was -25 degrees Fahrenheit (-36 Celsius) with wind chill last night. I had to let the dogs out and force them to do their business quickly by walking out there with them and encouraging them to do their thing, otherwise they would run right back in. They did need to go! Even the dogs hate it! Everyone here knows the importance of all these items. Sometimes you need a face shield to clean off the driveway or lose your nose to frostbite! The air temperature is a painful cold and hurts just to walk outside! It feels like your skin is burning on your cheeks and nose and anywhere you have exposed skin. In -25 degrees you can get frostbite in 5 minutes depending on the wind speed. Even regular boots don't work to protect your toes. It's a matter of health and survival. Thin knitted gloves will not do. It's pretty serious when it gets this cold. Thermal gloves are a God send. Also these packets (hand and foot warmers) that have chemicals sealed inside which are one use each. You hit them hard and the chemicals inside mix and heat up. They make small ones to put in your gloves and shoes. I have two snow shovels and a snowblower. I am grateful for the snowblower!

[@lyllydd]

Come on down to IL. It only got down to like -17 in the near Western burbs yesterday. Shorts weather for you.

[@lamp8112]

@@lyllydd LOL! I have been married 42 years and my hubby wears shorts as mush as possible even at -17! Crazy, crazy man! He is a walking furnace! Not for me though, I wear a down coat!

[@MrOiram46]

@@lamp8112Maybe he has some Scandinavian blood; people there take baths in frozen lakes in the middle of winters! 🤣

[@lamp8112]

@@MrOiram46 Funny you say that. His ancestery is Swedish and Welsh. I never really considered that...hmmm.

[@certiPHIer]

I prefer the reuseable hand warmers. To recharge them, you put them in a pan of water that you set to boil on the stovetop. There is a thin metal disk inside that is concave, and when you want the heat back out, you press on the disk until it goes concave the other direction, which makes a sound/shock wave that travels through the clear liquid phase change material and starts the phase change back to a cloudy solid during which it slowly sheds the heat the boiling water put into it. Saves a lot of $ and waste not to throw away hand warmers after one use, and as long as you recharge your collection after each time you are out in the weather and use some, you don't have to worry about running out of heat for fingers or toes when you need them.

[@stephaniemckee-akafarmgirl]

I’m in the southern part of Indiana and this evening it is 8 degrees or -13 Celsius. I have a livestock farm and each evening I spend about an hour feeding all of my animals. I definitely wear the winter boots (we call them snow boots) and the winter hat that he showed in the video you reviewed, along with really thick winter gloves and a really thick winter coat. If you have all of those items it makes it very tolerable to be out in the cold for a long period of time. The important parts of you body to protect is your feet, hands and head. When it is below zero degrees or -18 Celsius we will wear snow pants over our regular pants which protect your legs from freezing. Our winters in the northern states are definitely not something you want to be unprepared for. And just think…Alaska is a lot worse than any of the lower 49 states of the US.

[@aaronburdon221]

I'm in Southern Indiana as well. I've had to keep my water running a little to keep the pipes from freezing. It's a little chilly.

[@garycamara9955]

Id move

[@h.s.lafever3277]

+8f sounds like nice balmy weather to us here in fairbanks Alaska... -50f before windchill every year gets old...

[@Svensk7119]

​@@garycamara9955To where?

[@stephaniemckee-akafarmgirl]

@@h.s.lafever3277 I definitely could not survive in Alaska 😁 I follow a family video created called Somers in Alaska that lives around the Fairbanks area and they have shown people how rough it can be in that area in the winter. I couldn’t imagine the bitter cold there but during the warmer months it would be absolutely wonderful to be there with all of the beauty of nature there! 🥰

[@Dhalin]

No need to be afraid of ice scraping... windshields are made of laminated glass and can withstand small rocks flying at the window at great speeds. The ice scraper is made out of plastic and you're merely scraping ice that is stuck on the glass, off. You're not going to damage the glass, at all, with a plastic scraper. Before you get in the car, though, is lift up on the windshield wipers to free them from any ice that might be on them. You don't wanna turn them on while they're frozen to the window, you might damage the wiper motors.

[@Werewindle]

A face shield (I call it a balaklava) is a necessity for an American winter in the mid-west. I had to stand at the bus stop for thirty minutes the other morning in the snow blowing in the 20 MPH winds and it was 9F (-12.77C sounds more impressive). One doesn't want any skin exposed to those conditions for very long.

[@jimwilcox2964]

He didn't show the ice scraper, usually has a fairly long handle so you can reach the middle with a brush on the other end for sweeping snow off before scraping and off the hood. Really should do the top to so you dont create a blizzard for anyone behind you.

[@BoojumFed]

Also keeps the roof-pile from getting a melted layer on the bottom so the whole thing slides over your windshield at the first tap of the brakes. XD

[@M.P.Alan97]

Where I live (Kansas) this past summer we had temperatures as high as 45 C and this winter we've hit as low as Negative 24 C. Both those numbers are without heat index or wind chill. All over the Midwest, you will hear the phrase "If you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes." because the U.S.A. weather patterns in this part of the country are temperamental. In large part, it's because we are a massive valley as large as France, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, and most of Italy Combined pinned between 2 mountain ranges that stretch up and down on both sides of us.

[@Minalkra]

7:18 An ice scrapper - at least the cheapo ones - is usually plastic. It's not really strong enough to do damage to a window. And it doesn't need to be a razor, just 'sharp' enough to get up under the ice. And we get a few feet of snow a year where I am but rarely much ice. Less than a millimeter is the most common.

[@nuclearnerd8330]

We actually have about 7 in (18 cm) of snow in the Memphis, Tennessee area now, which is quite rare for us. I believe the vertical mountain ranges cause more extreme summers and winters. MLGW and TVA are also telling us to limit electricity use, which seems to be happening more often recently.

[@revgurley]

In my experience, the places that have the hardest time with snow are the Southern states. It snows in Atlanta Georgia about once a year. But when it does, the city comes to a halt for 2-3 days. Why buy a snow shovel or blower that you might use once every 5 years? Same goes for city transportation. How many salt/brine/rock spreading trucks do you need on hand at any given time? I mean, when you need them, you NEED them. We haven't had any yet this year, but tonight is supposed to be -5C. Laurence, however, has dealt with MUCH worse. I visited a relative in Wisconsin one Thanksgiving (November) and it was 9F. NINE! (That's NEGATIVE THIRTEEN C!). Hurt to breathe! My I-grew-up-in-Florida moment: First time I had my car in my new city for uni and it was below freezing, I was honestly befuddled. I'd had a "DEF" button, which stood for DEFOG. You understand if you live in a humid place. I asked my Northerner roommate to help, and she turned on the DEF button. I asked why? She said it stands for "DEFROST." Ooooooo! It does BOTH! But yeah, I felt pretty stupid that first frost.

[@augiegirl1]

THANK YOU! I've said for YEARS that it would be a MASSIVE misuse of taxpayer funds for Southern cities to invest in winter equipment when they would be used so rarely. It’s not just a one-time cost, because the equipment needs to be maintained. The University of Nebraska (the largest campus in Lincoln) recruits athletes from all over the country, particularly from Texas, California & Florida, since so many talented football players are raised in those places. One time, a recruit from Florida found an ice scraper in the rental car, & he had to ask the current student whom he was staying with what it was for. The CRAZY thing is that I've lived in the Midwest US my WHOLE LIFE (45 years), & I only learned a few years ago that the raised areas on the back of an ice scraper are for scraping off ICE, whereas the front, which is flat, is used for frost. Even my mom, who’s lived her ENTIRE 73 YEARS in Nebraska, was surprised when I told her this. BTW, Andre’, the ice scrapers are made of very hard plastic, not metal, so there’s NO CHANCE that it will break or scratch your car windows.

[@cathiwim]

But you dont want to scrape it on the car body! Lol

[@christinamann3640]

Same thing with how many in BC didn’t have A/C in a heat dome. Over 600 fatalities in Vancouver 😔

[@bookcat123]

The city of Rochester, NY owns more plows than the state of Pennsylvania. And Pennsylvania isn’t even that far south and thinks it’s in a “snow belt” 😂

[@mbagirl9567]

@@bookcat123that’s because PA has some snowplows and salt spreaders and then they attach plows to the front of garbage trucks to manage the rest. It’s actually more economical since counties and cities are already maintaining them year round instead of purchasing additional vehicles for winter months only.

[@karlamackey4675]

I live in North East Ohio and we get a good amount snow. We don't get near the low temps and amount of snow that states like Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, and others get. Our normal temps here in N.E. Ohio are usually high 20° to high 30° Farenheit. We do have blizzards every few years or so. The absolute WORST is when you spend all that time clearing your car and driveway off and are ready to back out onto the street and the snowplow (large trucks with a plow on the front that the city dispatches to clear the streets) comes up the street before you have time to back out and pushes the snow, completely blocking the end of the driveway that you just cleared with a shovel or a snowblower, and you have to clear it again. You can't just back out through it because you'll get stuck. In the winter of 1978, N.E. Ohio and states further East had a massive blizzard. The area that I lived in, about 30 minutes South of Cleveland, was taken by surprise. We had no idea what was about to happen. The 11:00 pm newscast didn't predict that type of storm. About 5:00 am it hit. January 26, 1978. You can look it up.

[@jamesryen7395]

in North Dakota we just got done with -37 C degree temperatures and with the wind it was -48 C with some snow. We have head bolt heaters (we plug in to keep the oil warm) to start our cars.

[@golfr-kg9ss]

Winters can be quite harsh in US. Today where I live the high temperature was -13 C and that's the highest temperature in the last 5 days. I remember 1 time it never got above -17 C for over 16 days. Also the weather can change quite quickly. I remember once walking to school in the morning not wanting to take a coat because it was so warm. Mom made me take a coat. Good thing when I can home 6 hours later is was around 3 C and snowing. Enjoy your mild weather there in Portugal.

[@rcrawford42]

Back in the winter of 1978, it was so cold IN OUR KITCHEN there was ice on the dog's water bowl. Since glass bottles of soda were a thing, we had some in our utility room off the kitchen and they froze, shattering the bottles.

[@JIMBEARRI]

Today much of the US is experiencing extreme cold. As far south as Texas, temperatures are well below 32 F [0 C] In Houston, the temperature is predicted to drop to 22 F [-6 C] tonight.

[@waltermaples3998]

I live in Pensacola Florida and We are under a FREEZE WARNING this weekend. That's Crazy 🥶

[@european-reacts]

Good luck my friend 🙏

[@theresa4850]

I live close to Pensacola and yes I will complain when it gets in the 20s. I grew up in IL so I know what it’s like up there but it is just as cold when it hits 20 in both states.

[@OkiePeg411]

​@zacharywilbur3459 if you like any kind of Florida fruit it's not good for them to freeze... same for south Texas

[@andromedaspark2241]

Your poor wildlife just aren't made to cope with freezing temps. Freezes must destroy a lot of animals in Florida when one rarely occurs.

[@susansabatka5318]

Today in Nebraska we got an alert on our phones saying there was a snow squall. Everyone I was close to were texting what is that. Immediately the world turned white. Couldn't see a foot. It was terrifying.

[@Craterface666]

My wife's birthday is Friday. 4 months ago, I got her an early birthday present by having remote start installed on her vehicle. When it's cold, she has the heater set and it's so nice to push a button up to 1500 ft away and wait for your car to get warm. Many winters she's had multiple ice scrapers, had to start the vehicle early while scraping and shoveling the snow. Now she pushes her key fab when she wakes up and right out the door. Also, it saves her time coming home from work too. When I was younger we used to put block heaters on all our vehicles to heat the oil pan and keep it from freezing. I'm in South Dakota but grew up in Wyoming where there's bitter cold and wind similar to the weather in Chicago. It's been between 5 and 15 below 0 ferenheight here the last week with sub -40 wind chills. She has thanked me almost every day this month for her gift. Also, we have a snow blower in the shed, use ice melt on our steps and walkways, and all the other winter gear that is necessary in the Midwest.

[@brianh9358]

I live in Minnesota, which is one of the coldest places in the US. We had one night recently that went down to -28C. In any case, I own a lot of the winter equipment he mentioned. In Chicago it feels colder than Minnesota because of the wind. The city is near the lake and the towers in the city cause the wind to be much worse. Combine the wind and the low temperature and it is deadly cold. One other thing I use in the winter here are pocket warmers - they are chemical heat pouches that you crush - then the chemicals generate heat for about 30 minutes or so. You keep them in your pockets to keep your hands warm if you go outside.

[@richardkawucha1232]

I use a 20" wide, curved blade, pusher snow shovel. I use the shovel for anything under 3" of snow. This past weekend we got about 3" of wet heavy snow. My 20" wide 10hp. self propelled snow-blower enabled me to clear the front sidewalks for mine and three neighbors property and two 10' x 60' driveways in about 1-1/2 hour. My back never would have enabled me to do this with a shovel. I wear waterproofed leather work boots with heavy socks. My parka has a nose & mouth cover in it that I use. When I worked construction, in the winter, I wore the head covering, under my hard hat.

[@bullpup33]

California can have extremely different weather depending on where you are at. Lake Tahoe is not Death Valley, Mendocino is not the same as Orange county, Northern California is not the same as Southern California, etc...

[@westonberenberg5577]

After watching your videos for a while you’ve really helped my understand how great my country is even with its faults thank you ❤❤❤

[@alisong826]

Snow is heavy so shovelling can be gruelling if you’ve got a long driveway. 5:44

[@TheLastGarou]

One of the reasons snow blowers are so important is not just because they're faster and easier than shoveling, it's because when weather warms up snow becomes very wet and heavy. In fact, shoveling snow is one of the leading causes of death (via heart attack) in winter months.

[@jonok42]

I live in Utah. It is a mountain state with our elevation around the Salt Lake City area being ~4500 feet above sea level. We are the second driest state in the country. If we don't get snow in the winter it's a bad thing. I was born here and have lived here most of my life. My other state was Colorado near Denver. It snows a lot there too. The Western states know how imperative snow and rain are to our ability to survive. We may complain a bit, but we love it as much as we complain about it. You can't ski or snowmobile on mud, or rocks.

[@WardOfSouls]

As someone who lives on a city with a lot of snow, I agree with you that it is quite beautiful. I find it especially beautiful when the snow sticks to the trees, then melts into tiny icicles coating all the branches. Snow is still a lot of work to deal with when you live in a house, and have to remove it from the driveway and sidewalk. Also, that same beautiful phenomenon of ice on tree branches can be very dangerous when those branches get overburdened and come crashing down.

[@marypasco2213]

@WardOfSouls - what is nice about icicles in trees, is when that tree is a maple. The ice turns into 'sapcicles'! Frozen maple-tasting icicles!

[@catherinepetersen3789]

I live in Southeastern Wisconsin, we've been dealing with a polar vortex the last few days/week. The temperature was about - 1F, so about -1C, but the wind made it feel like it was -21F, or about -29C. But in the summer here, we can also get up into the 100s (F), so above 37C. And it gets VERY humid here so that kind of heat feel even worse, & it's hard to breath. It's hard to breath in the polar vortex too, but it's different because the air is so cold. Either way, we can and do experience both extremes here.

[@suavefpv1247]

As someone from the midwest, I LOVE when it snows!!! Especially driving!

[@airistal]

There is a common joke where I live. It goes with someone taking a snow shovel and heading south, stopping when someone asks them what that thing they're carrying is.

[@SpartanB209]

A couple years ago I got stuck in a blizzard with temperatures down to -20° F, around -28°C, for two days. Face shield help a lot.

[@Cookie-K]

I live in Michigan and yes our winters can be brutal...as I am typing this the temperature is 7°F with a wind chill (what it actually feels like outside) is -11 🥶

[@trevornekuda3101]

Kansas here, currently -15 F. I use ice scrapers constantly (and alot of people dont know that the back of the ice scraper is designed for thick ice. Thermal underwear is an absolute must. Face shield is waterproof and windproof.

[@martha3445]

I grew up in Rochester NY and now live in southwestern PA. I love living in the south 😅. I get just enough snow to keep me happy. I actually like shoveling snow, especially here where we don't get a crazy amount. It's nice to go outside and breathe the fresh, cool air and get some exercise. I also like raking leaves. Leaf blowers should be banned! They're noisy and pollute the air. My husband thinks I'm crazy but he gets out of some chores, so it's a win-win situation.

[@kathygreer2097]

I was born and raised in SWPA. We moved to the Lake Erie area when I was almost 15. We get “lake effect” everything…blizzards, squalls, clouds, cold, etc. it’s a whole different world. I’ve tried explaining to my cousin, who moved to CA as a girl that PA is not the same at all between SW and NW when she says she remembers the “harsh” winters.

[@lindae2524]

You would use one of those face shields or something similar if you lived where it is windy and has bitter cold. My son just told me that it was - 25° in SD the other day. It gets colder too. Like - 40 or worse when factoring in the wind chill. Your face will freeze and frostbite sets in. Not fun. Style goes out the window. A lot of body heat is lost through the top of your head. So the son now wears what he swore he never would. The corny hat with furry or fuzzy lining & furry or fuzzy ear flaps.

[@mtwomn8940]

Have worn the snow boots for many years. You need them to get to your car and clean snow/ice off then will need to wear them at your destination. But if you wear them while driving your feet will sweat and be wet inside the boots so when you get to your destination you will freeze. So you must take them off while driving and when you go indoors.

[@JulsMWK1995]

Snow blowers are nice. You can clear a big area fast, like 15 min. Shoveling can be tiring and dangerous for older people (heart attacks). Snow can be very wet and heavy near the Great Lakes. Fluffy snow is easier to remove. Yes, got to have a scraper and brush in your car. Gotta have a garage in cold climates to have less issues with elements on your car. It sucks when your car door is frozen and you can’t open it or when it takes so long to clear ice on your windshield.

[@sarahfish132]

We live in upstate NY. Any amount under a foot is considered nuisence snow. A snowblower is essential.

[@ideasmatter4737]

We just had 10” of snow with windchills in the -40F region. You’d freeze your fingers and toes off trying to shovel your drive and walkways! I love my snowblower. (Some local roads had drifts 12 feet high and 100 yards long! Even the snowplows got stuck!) We don’t get this kind of blizzard often but we do expect snow and wicked cold in some combination each winter.

[@certiPHIer]

Fun fact, -40F = -40C, it is the one place where the two temp scales correspond.

[@sintanan469]

Here in Alaska last week we got hit with 19 inches in one night and 37 inches the next day. The temperature warmed to slushy rain for about six hours, then tanked to single digits for the week. Nothing sucks more than shoveling snow too heavy for a snow blower while it is freezing rain in a race against the clock before it turns into a solid block of ice. You can't wear snow gear because the rain just saturates everything, and you can't wear rain gear because the weather is too cold for the vinyl and rubber.

[@TzeentchLordofChange]

@@sintanan469 you sound like you are down in the SE...sitka, juneau?

[@sintanan469]

@@TzeentchLordofChange Yup.

[@cp368productions2]

I do actually own a snowblower but I have never used it because it's older and has to be fiddled with to get it to work. I just shovel. Although this winter "storm" only gave me an inch in western NY which is a testament to how weather works, because the snow belt ends 2 miles from my house and they got a lot of snow in the Lake Erie Snow Belt. I shovel my 1000-1500 sq ft driveway. My ice scraper right now is actually a plastic putty knife. Face shield is a very odd name for a ski mask. Face shield is a clear plastic thing used in the medical field.

[@rocker198383]

Ice scrapers are the best! I live in Buffalo and we get huge storms here, just got 3 feet of snow in 24 hours. Sometimes we have ice scrapers on long poles for larger cars/trucks. If you were thinking they were metal they are actually plastic and I’ve never heard of anyone breaking their window with one! You should check out the storm Buffalo got last year around Christmas! Currently -10 Celsius in Buffalo and that’s nothing compared to last year. With the boots we wear them to and from the car but change shoes at work usually

[@kathenson606]

Using the snowblower is so fun. I love the snow.

[@LollyDolly76]

I'm from upstate New York (not the city, 400 miles west). I either used or saw every item on the list on the way home from work today. They are all super common and needed. :)

[@nikkip3567]

#5 is like a hat and scarf combined. When the wind picks up on cold days it can feel like -20 degrees which it has been in my area for the last few days. It not only protects the face from frostbite, but also your lungs. Breathing that dry cold air isn't good for you and you dehydrate more quickly. It's also bad for asthma sufferers. Not only that but once it hits the teens, if you don't have your nose buried in a scarf of somekind, you going to get ice crystals in your nostrils...its an odd feeling, let me tell you.

[@w9gb]

“Lake Effect” Snow, around the Great Lakes can sometimes be measured in feet (especially Buffalo, NY area). Yesterday,Jan. 19 … SW Michigan / NW Indiana (eastern shore of Lake Michigan) received up to 3 feet of snow (~ 1 meter)

[@andycofin6983]

It’s a face shield if it’s separate from the hat. If it’s one complete piece, the hat and the face shield, it’s a balaclava.

[@savian_is_spooked]

Fun fact, they make a windshield cover that you put on your car at night so ice can't get on your windshield. No need for defrosting or scraping. It is a pain to remember to put it on and actually put it on, but if you leave early in the mornings it can be a life saver.

[@ImForwardlook]

That is just stupidity, spray some Rain-X and you'll be fine.

[@savian_is_spooked]

@ImForwardlook lol idk where you are or how much snow/ice you gotta worry about, but I could probably pee on my windshield and it would do the same as rain x. But I'm sure it's fine for light ice and frost

[@ImForwardlook]

@@savian_is_spooked I live in Finland so it rarely gets all that cold over here. Not often colder than -20F so I really never use a beanie even. Try Rain-X, it works well and keeps your pecker warm lol.

[@OkiePeg411]

I'm in NE Oklahoma and we just had snow and below 0° temps. The windchill made it worse. I'm in a more rural area, so I don't use a snow shovel or snow blower. I did sweep the 4" of snow off my porch and all the steps. If you step on snow on concrete steps it compresses it into solid ice that's more difficult to melt and much more dangerous. It's important to sweep the snow off quickly after the snow here.

[@marcye3649]

Hi friend! Also from NE OK! ❤

[@pamelapasechnick6899]

Me, too! The past few days have been brutally cold! Today's is the first time in 5 days that the temperature has gotten above freezing! And in the summer we will have weeks of 100°+F daytime temps! And don't get me started on Tornado season! Gotta love Oklahoma!!

[@mpetersen6]

Snow shovels with straight handles can be very hard on your back. We have ones with bends in the handle that offset where you hold it so you don't have to bend over as far.

[@mikeadair3341]

I used all these items during my 2 years living in North Dakota. With temperatures as low as -30 f (-34)C they were necessary. It also go hot on occasion up there with temperatures over 100 degrees F or 38 degrees C. Another good video.

[@IONATVS]

I’m from Southern California. light freak dustings of snow happen occasionally and we have easy *access* to snow-capped mountains for recreation, but unless you live in those mountains, snow is basically nonexistent around here. Outside of those mountains and the desert the climate is pretty much mediterranean.

[@ilikehardplay]

Southern Californian as well (Los Angeles).... But we can visit snow during the winter, because even in the Southern part of the state, there are mountains tall enough (6,000-10,000 feet; 1800-3000+ meters) to see significant amounts of snow, that can close highways and support ski areas in Winter. Moreover, in the Sierra Nevada mountains, on the East -central and Northeastern part of the state, the mountains are even higher....and the snow amounts can become absurd as warm Pacific storms dump moisture when they are pushed up by the mountains. Donner Pass on Interstate 80 has been known average of 411.5 inches of snow (10.45 m) per year....and extreme winters can see more than double that snowfall.

[@bambam-ei1gr]

@@ilikehardplay yeah the mountains around bear valley California got up to 672 inches of snow last snow season

[@marypasco2213]

And when ANY amount of frozen precipitation lands on the ground, people DO NOT know how to drive in/on it!@@ilikehardplay

[@manxkin]

It's currently 14 degrees F here in my part of Chicagoland. It feels absolutely balmy this evening compared to a few nights ago. And yes, my snowblower is my faithful winter companion.

[@denisetornga1030]

Snowblower is essential here in the Mitten.

[@sarahmclellan8577]

AKA Michigan - a European might not know that like we do.

[@gr8ful4tori1]

Here in upstate NY we have 3 kinds of winter people. 1. Cold tolerant - can wear shorts and T-shirt most days, when extremely cold may put on pants and a hoodie. 2. Normal NYer - knows how to properly dress for the weather - uses layers. 3. Cold intolerant, - 2 pairs of socks, huge boots, short sleeve shirt with long sleeve shirt with another short shirt hoodie and a coat.

[@TerryButterfield]

I lived in Colorado for a time. I quickly learned that if snow was forecast, to put a beach towel on the windshield of the car and use the windshield wiper blades to hold it down. Come out in the morning, pull the towel off, and the windshield is clean. ;)

[@angelaarsenault]

TRUTH! You don't think snow is "pretty" when you live with it for 5 or 6 disastrous months. It's 13 degrees Fahrenheit right now (-10.6 Celsius) and I want to cry. . . .

[@sin4rent277]

In Minnesota, I've seen -60F(-50C) in the winter to 105 F (40C) in the summer - Both extremes.

[@americankid7782]

Something that you also don't expect about Being next to a large lake during the winter is that the Ice can be blown off of the lake and make large piles of Ice along the Shore. It's called "Shelf Ice" and it is very interesting.

[@DamonNomad82]

Great reaction! I live in a part of America that gets a lot of snow and has some right now, but I still enjoy snow. That said, I'm different from most people on that, as I am much more cold-tolerant and much less heat tolerant. I also don't drive in snow if I can avoid it. It helps that I live close enough to my work that I can walk there easily. While I don't have a snow blower, I had to go around two people using them on my walk home from work a few mornings ago.

[@patriciafergusongerkin3785]

I live close to Grayling, Michigan and I wear one of those Full Balaclava Ski Face Masks most of the winter because we get a lot of snow, cold and wind and they are a real lifesaver! It is supposed to get down to minus 4 degrees tonight with a wind chill of minus 7 degrees, so I will be wearing me thermal hoodie to cover my ears and head because it is only 60 degrees right now in my living room and the heater I have will be lucky to keep the inside temperature above 50 degrees. Oh and if you do not like the black color they do come in other colors online, I have seen them in white, light gray, camo and a few other colors.

[@ZphdBblbrx]

Canadian here. -35 C the other day. You wear the boots until you get to work and you change into shoes. Most people just wear their shoes unless you have to spend time outside more than walking to the car. We have weather warnings every January/February for days in a row where exposed skin will freeze in under a minute.

[@jennywayman4461]

I live in Utah. Not as cold as Chicago, mostly, sometimes with wind chill. The winters are really no big deal. When you grow up doing all those things, shoveling, scraping windows, etc, it just is what it is. I personally love having all four seasons. Although, if you ask anyone in Utah, our weather can be a bit bi-polar. Ha ha ha meaning it feels like winter one minute and it can be sunny and melting in the next. I know strange

[@bitrunner2000]

the best part of a snowblower is that my dad would blow it all to the end of the driveway, making large banks of snow we could hollow out to make forts....

[@krisschobelock4973]

Thank goodness for garages! Not only does it keep the snow off, but it also keeps the car a tiny bit warmer....In Ohio today it was 12 degrees - but the sun was shining! Don't know what the wind chill temp is because I stayed in the house! With a sweater on! LOL. Since I'm retired -- I will say - looking at the snow is beautiful since I don't have to drive in it to get to work---ugh I remember those days! The wind guard - if you are outside in below zero wind chills - yes you need it and no one would think anything of it because it's damn cold!

[@sandygrunwaldt1780]

We just got over having gone through a winter storm warning. Got so much snow. Now we're under a Lake Snow affect warning. We're getting bambed here in Northern Michigan.

[@hectorsmommy1717]

I have a pair of moosehide mukluks I wear in the winter. They are super warm and I treat them with a silicone spray to waterproof them. They also have the inner boots with the metallic film. That film helps keep the warmth in. It is the same thing as the "space blankets" emergency responders use.

[@shingoku999999]

You would use a face shield/mask of some kind with high winds and/or in the negatives for temperature.

[@sikhandtakerakhuvar3372]

There are silicon-based window coatings, and windshield washer solutions that help keep ice from sticking to windshield very tightly. Also, magnetically secured tarps you can toss over car.

[@cmachinist]

He's calling the "face shield" the wrong thing. No one calls it that, I think he just didn't know the word for it so he kinda made that up. It's called a balaclava.

[@leecarlson9713]

I grew up in Minnesota and Wisconsin, shoveling snow, going ice skating and sledding, and as an adult , cross country skiing . Unfortunately, I have the after effects of mild frostbite, but mainly because my body runs a couple of degrees cooler than normal bodies, so is affected by the cold much faster. Scraping ice off the windshield is very satisfying. One uses the ice scraper at an angle, and rarely does it get used as a bludgeon. Best thing for keeping your feet warm is a pair of wool socks-they retain their warmth even if wet! Put a thin pair of socks on, then the wool socks, then the snow boots. The headgear is a balaclava, and is very warm under a hood.

[@forquer73]

I work security for a homeowner association in Colorado and in the winter I use the face shield a lot. Mine is just a large tube made out of fabric. You can use it as just a neck warmer or pull it up and it will cover your face and ears. When you are out in a snow storm working a traffic accident it is the greatest thing.

[@LeesaDeAndrea]

I just used 4 of those items two days ago. Except the ice scraper. Which I didn't use because my car is too old to be using in subzero F weather. So it will be staying in the garage until the weather improves a bit. An item I would add to Lawrence's list is a parka: a well-insulated, wind & water resistant coat with a hood.

[@certiPHIer]

I don't use an ice scrapper as much either, after purchasing a windshield cover (with straps that get clamped into the front car doors, and "mittens" (drawstring bags with drainage that cover the mirrors). Though I used to just use plastic shopping bags for mirror covers, loosely tied on with slip knots. Having both kinds of covers saves a lot of scraping in almost every kind of weather, and is much faster removing the covers than scraping your glass clean.

[@LeesaDeAndrea]

@@certiPHIer I didn't know about those covers for cars. Much better than scraping ice & frost!

[@Raymond-u1y]

In the middle of America, they have one heck of a winter. I live in NE Oklahoma and it is rough here. I grew up in Tucson, Arizona. I didnt't know what snow or cold was.

[@biohazard_613]

I have family from Quapaw down to Tahlequah that were born and raised there and they’ve been complaining for the last week. We’re having a hell of a week up here in Oregon with ice storms knocking out power and all that but my best friend down in Phoenix had the nerve to complain about how cold he was today, it only made it to 74. And he expected me to have some sympathy.

[@DavidLS1]

When I lived up north, I'd pour a gallon of water on my windshield. Worked like a charm. Now I live in Florida...no snow or ice.