Tips for a "southerner" in Connecticut

I'm moving to southern Connecticut, and was wondering if anyone else here has moved to the northeast from Florida (contraflow!). Any "small" things that might be considered "new". Of course I realize it snows, and I know that snow usually turns to ice after it melts. Anything else "winter" related I should be aware of? Anything in general? I don't have a "southern" accent, but I'll try to lose the one I have! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Get an ice scrapper for your car BEFORE you get ice!

-Blast

Worst drivers in the country are in MA and CT.

Actually, you'll want two or three of them.

A medium length (about 2 foot) in the car that has a brush on it. A spare for that one, because they do break, in the garage. And short one, say 6" long, for those times when the car is covered in ice or you have to chip at really heavy ice, that lives in your coat.

Yea, especially Boston drivers <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I have two different types of ice scrapers. There is the metal edged one that I use for thin ice because it is flexible enough to bend to the curve of the windshield. The other is a 3/8" thick heavy duty plastic one, as Ironraven suggests, for thick ice / freezing rain. This type of ice will destroy the metal edge type. I also carry a can of spray lock deicer in my coat, since the guy from AAA melted the plastic mechanism in my wife's car while thawing the lock with a highway flare.

I keep this stuff in my trunk: jumper cables, tow cable, 12v air compressor, antifreeze, oil, water (leave this out in the winter), highway type flares, duct tape, rope, etc. I use the jumper cables very seldom, but car batteries don't do as well in the cold. The tow cable can come in handy for pulling other people out of the ditch. Keep a wool hat & gloves in the car. Weather can change quickly from reasonably pleasant to very bad. BTW, I'd like to hear from the people in the Great White North who have -28C weather.

Just think how your prepared for Hurricanes in FL.and set up your home that way with the addition of snow removeal.When it snow's remove it as soon as possible before it get's to deep or frozen Hard!
in your car have an old rug or long house shingle to ride out of a drift .A square end shovel in the house to get to your car an a Folding Square end Entrenching tool to Keep in your car.Have a Insulated Jump suit in the car or go to a good will store and find a Long Raincoat add a heavy sweater and pull over sweat suit bottoms ,not as warm but more vesitile.Keep some munchies and candle w/ a Bic Lighter,water and metal container to melt water.Keep A Full Tank of Gas you use more in the snow!

seriously, if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes and it will change. .. though depends on where in CT you are moving.. I would honestly get a car alarm and good insurance.

also get gas antifreeze ,put in tank everytime you gas up[also good for fires in alcohol stove], and washer fluid rated for the temps.

I'm going to be in southwest Connecticut, near the ocean. I was told it only snows like 4 times (or some other ridiciously small number) of times during the year, never more than a foot of snow, and gone in like 3 days. I'll be just north of Long Island Sound. I was also told to carry some sand or rock salt in the car at all times.

Carry a piece of cardboard with you, for kneeling on when you put your chains on.

Sue

CHAINS??? WHAT??? <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> That's for ice, right? I have a month or 2 I think to prepare for winter. I'll have to start buying things!

I attended college on Long Island (LIU) in Southampton....I'll tell you this.....if you think you've experienced "COLD"....then wait until you get the Noreaster type of rain in mid January to mid February......there is a reason they call it 'bone chilling cold'. Make sure to have lots of warm layers available to you in the colder months.....

Oh, a nice WET NE'str can be cold - if your up fol college on LI - you haven't seen a REAL bad one yet - the goood ones are ice storms - hard rain litterally at 32 degs - you'll understand the classic yellow rain coat

Shudder - cold and wet

Oh - and in one of those storms - do yourself a BIG favor - do NOT slip and fall into a puddle - being soaked to the skin in 32 deg water, with the wind blowing is NOT fun - and you'd better get someplace warm and dry fast