Winter in Huntsville

Going to camp soon? Have questions about camp? Post them here for those that have gone to answer.

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karatebando
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Winter in Huntsville

Post by karatebando »

I'm planning on going to adv. space academy right after christmas. Sales are going on at all the stores right now so I'm trying to get all my shopping done for a while. Anyways the coldest place I've been is Flagstaff, Az in November. Yes it was cold but I was inside during the cold mornings and had a marching uniform on when I did ever go outside. I've been to the snow only twice. Once was when I was little and pictures are the only memorie of the trip I had. The other time was when the snow was basically slush. It was just cold enough for a sweatshirt and that was all. Basically what I'm getting at is I live where there is no such thing called winter. I have never seen a white christmas and I have never been in temperatures under 30 degrees. It drops down to 40 degrees here if you are lucky (or unlucky) or if it is midnight. I have no clue how cold it is in huntsville. Do you stay inside all day, or should I bring warm clothes for the outside? Do they still turn the air conditioning on in the habs or ido they use a heater? Should I just wear the pants I'm use to wearing (Which I wear in 90 degree weather) or should I buy something warmer? I am at a total lost as to winter weather.

Please help. Especially if you have been to camp during this time.
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Post by Space Nerd »

I was in Flagstaff last March and it was far colder than it ever gets in Huntsville (nominally at least). You probably won't see snow though its entirely possible that you'll see frost. I would say bring your normal jeans/pants/whatever and then a light jacket if you have one. I always wore sweatshirts or my flight jacket and I was fine. The vast majority of your time will be spent inside anyway though I think there were a few activites we did outside during the warmer parts of the day.
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Post by ACluvR »

Be prepared... it did snow my first Christmas Camp and I froze my arse off. It snowed a fair amount actually... the other two were okay and not as cold... but still cold for me and I froze... But I only did AC so we were actually outside a fair amount. But bring some warm stuff, it does get kind of cold.
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Post by karatebando »

thanks. I'm kind of hopping it snows. I have never seen it snow before. Go to space camp, see it snow, it would be nice to kill two birds with one stone.
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Post by Deimos »

It's kind of cold there in winter, but no where near as cold as where i am, so it's a relief for me to go there in winter ( I didn't go to the camp, just to huntsville) So it shouldn't be too bad. That would be cool for it to snow for you. I love snow, i get like 2 feet of snow here in one snowstorm. I hope you get to see it :D
Definately bring winter clothes though. Bring pants, long sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, jackets etc. you'll need them, even if it doesen't get that cold, just to be prepared. Also bring short sleeved stuff too, because sometimes it surprises you and gets pretty warm there in winter.
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Post by karatebando »

It will probably be warm. With my luck. Everytime my family travels it is record highs. My last out of state trip I went to Chicago durring a drought. Usually it's green everywhere. It was brown, reminded me of home.. just hotter. (Yuck) DC, Vermont, Virgina, and everywhere else I've been was just the same. Hopefully my luck will change. Keeping my fingers crossed.
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Post by SpaceCanada »

Coming from Canada, where everything is already covered in snow, going to Huntsville in winter is a tropical vacation for me!

However, if you are coming from someplace warmer, I would suggest bringing some 'warm' clothes, like a sweater/jumper, a warm jacket (fleece), and some jeans or otherwise warm-ish pants. If you have a toque (winter hat) you may want to bring it if you are not used to freezing temperatures. They do have heat in the habitat and museum, no worries there, but still bring your warm pyjamas like you would in summer.

Likely, you will be indoors most of the time if it is cold outside.

Oh, and a tip from up north - bring some extra socks. If your feet ever feel cold or wet, put on a new pair of socks. (Take off the cold/wet pair first.) It helps...
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Post by karatebando »

Avoiding frostbite I persume. Thanks helpful hint. Usally if my feet were cold or wet I deal. I have been known to hang out all day outside bearfoot in the pooring rain. :lol:

Thanks again for the helpful tip I'll be sure to use it.
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Post by SpaceCanada »

When it gets really cold up here your own sweat can give you frostbite! Thus, in the arctic, they have to do things a lot slower than most people so they don't sweat and give themselves chills. The cold air can freeze your lungs too, so scarves are a winter must. :P

But yes, definitely bring some extra socks, and those thin stretchy mittens if you are really concerned.

I'm just thinking of the camp I went to in Toronto this summer. It was 30-40 degrees Celsius (86 to 104 Fahrenheit) with lows of 15-18 C (59-64F) at night. The girls from the Caribbean and Africa were freezing, so I can understand where you are coming from!
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Post by karatebando »

I think I'll pass on the mittens. Not my favorite items (my hands are too big.) I'll bring plenty of socks to wear.

And wow, wearing a scarf as a item to keep you warm not as a fashion statement, wow. :lol: Yeah, down here girls wear warm type of clothing for the look. Go figure. It's amusing when the girls wear their t shirts and scarves. I love not having seasons. lol.
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Post by SpaceCanada »

Scarves as a fashion statement?? hahaha... we must be on the cutting edge of fashion up here. Next in line will be sweatpants and sandals...

I heard of a fashion trend in Denmark or Sweden or somewhere when everyone wore Sorel boots (really warm winter boots) in summer. Nutty I say...

I'll go back to my -5C (23F) weather now... thank goodness for central heating and hot tea. :P
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Post by Deimos »

SpaceCanada wrote:Scarves as a fashion statement?? hahaha... we must be on the cutting edge of fashion up here. Next in line will be sweatpants and sandals...

I heard of a fashion trend in Denmark or Sweden or somewhere when everyone wore Sorel boots (really warm winter boots) in summer. Nutty I say...

I'll go back to my -5C (23F) weather now... thank goodness for central heating and hot tea. :P
Lol, people here do that all teh time, the sweatpants+sandals thing. It's really funny. and the shorts, with boots and sweatshirts. man the fashions here are pretty crazy since it's cold half teh year and never all that warm. Right now it's pretty cold here. Already, though today was nice. Though you wil definately want to pack warmish clothes. It can get to freezing down in Huntsville surprisingly after a warm day.
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Post by karatebando »

yeah, people do that here to. mini skirts a boots. (pink boots to add to that) I love it. Hey do you get the mini scirt ontop of pants look. That one gets me. the girls end up wearing five layes of clothes with tank tops and dresses and skirts on top of pants and and shirts. Man I love crazy styles. :lol:
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Post by SpaceCanada »

I never understand most of the fashion trends. The shirt over pants look is horrendous and you would never catch me looking like that ever. Then again, you'd never ever catch me in a mini skirt in the first place. And what's with those really short jackets? I'll stick to shirts and pants and comfy clothes that sorta make sense.

Enough fashion talk, it's making my head spin.

How about that snow... it's trying really hard to snow outside... but it's melting as it hits the ground... so sad!
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Post by karatebando »

yesturday was cold, around 65 degrees, today santa anas started so it was around 85 degrees. It sucks because I was so looking forward to the cold weather. the santa anas will come and go. By the way if you don't know santa anas are a type of wind thingy that comes from the mountains.
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Post by SpaceCanada »

Haha... we keep our house thermostat at 17C (62F)!!

What you call 'santa anas' we call shinooks - warm winds from the sea that travel eastward and roll over the mountains. Southern Alberta gets them alot but we never see them up north.

Exactly how cold does it get in Huntsville in January/February? Close to freezing I can imagine, if not a few degrees below that.
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Post by Sandrat »

After living there for six years, the only advice I can give you is to get on Weather.com or a similar site starting about ten days before you go. The weather can be cold (around and below 32 deg F) but could also be warm (up to 80 deg F). HSV is a strange weather place.

You are more likely to have an ice storm than a snowstorm, too. Saw a couple of those - and they are crippling to the surrounding community.

Start looking early and pack right.
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Post by karatebando »

Hey thanks. I ready for anything. I have all my clothes shopping done for a while. I have plenty of shorts (working at a summer camp kind of makes you have lots of shorts.) I have plenty of pants. Layers on top keep me warm. Strip them off to keep me cool. I guess I need to think of it like those guys who drive the floats in the rose parade. They wear more layers then possible and as the sun comes out and the heat in the little hole they have to sit in heats up they start stripping until they are down to shorts and a shirt. Sounds like fun

Thanks again.Your help is much appreciated. Sucks there will most like not be any snow. My dad kept telling me that. "The most your going to have is frost on your car windshield" he told me. I hate it when he's right. :roll: :lol:
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