<p>Yes, outside of the mountains, the temperatures in southcentral are much more moderate than in the interior, although more extreme than in southeast Alaska. Much of Minnesota is probably more extreme on both ends of the spectrum than Anchorage. Because of the mountains, though, moving 40 miles can be accompanied by drastic changes in climate, and I get around. I'm no stranger to -30 degrees F, but I cringe at the mention of 80 degrees.
Mostly, I would like to ski. Can I in CT?</p>
<p>for good skiing you're gonna need to head to NH, VT, or ME I think</p>
<p>Yes, you can ski in CT. Also, by the time CT hits 80's, it will be late May and you will probably be done with school. The hardest month for you will probably be September.</p>
<p>I live in CT, have lived here my whole life. The skiing sucks, better to go up to Vermont, etc, nothing like Alaska I'm sure :D, but it exists, 80 degrees won't happen really until mid-June</p>
<p>-30 will not happen, anything below zero is rare</p>
<p>i used to live in NY and if u go there in the winter, everyone is wearing a North Face jacket. I have a North face bubble coat and it keeps me pretty warnin the winter. My bro on the other hand has a north face snorkel (those jacket with the fur around the hood). That thing is ridiculously warm, but it so expensive (like $300). But it lasts a long time cause he has it for like 3 or 4 yrs now. North face has fleeces 2 and those r really warm. Also buy timberland boots. They have all different kinds. they even have ones with wool inside of them to keep u extra warm.</p>
<p>i want to go to amherst but i have lived in tx my whole life, so im not used to the cold either</p>
<p>i live in MA, near boston. it might be a bit different in western MA where it snows more and is colder. </p>
<p>i've gone without boots since i stopped playing in the snow with much frequency in like 6th grade. i borrow my dad's sometimes for sledding trips with my friends. i also don't believe in gloves. i just pull my hands inside the sleeves of my jacket, or put them in my pockets. i've found that is much warmer than gloves. gloves separate your fingers and make them into little individual icicles, rather than a ball of semi-coldness. IMO.</p>
<p>in terms of jackets, i have worn a cheap plain old winter jacket with my team name on it for the past 4 winters. it's not the warmest thing ever, but ya, layers. sweatshirts are good. sometimes i wear a crappy pea coat that i got at macy's. it is not particularly warm. when it is in like single digit temperatures i don't wear it. also i think it is mostly what you get used to. if you have one of those super maxi north face thingys or a thin coat, you will get used to it. </p>
<p>hats are key. especially if you're just going from class to class. you get cold so much faster without one. seriously put on a sweater and a hat, or even a hoodie with the hood up and you will stay warm for way longer than if you dash outside with a warm coat on but no hat.</p>
<p>I agree with veronique in that hats are key. I am also a huge fan of scarves, as you can wrap them around you multiple times and cover most of your face.</p>
<p>I have several different coats, each of which I wear in a different temperature range: a jacket with sweatshirt lining for 40-55 degrees, a peacoat for 20-40, and a poofy ski coat for anything below 20.</p>
<p>I didn't have much trouble adjusting to Boston (I'm from Ohio, which is roughly similar), but it's amusing to watch all the kids from the south get acclimated during freshman year. One fall day freshman year it was probably 45 or 50 and raining, and I ran into a friend from Miami, who was wearing a hat, a scarf, and a long heavy coat... and shivering. Needless to say, January in Boston was something of a shock to her. ;)</p>
<p>mittens actually keep your hands warmer than gloves, since your fingers can keep each other warm. When it gets really cold (I go to school in western mass, and it can get so bad the public schools close since the diesel lines in their buses freeze), I wear thin stretchy cotton or silk glove liners under my mittens. Make sure you have good warm socks (wool or fleece are good) that come up above your boots to avoid blisters, and consider long underwear--if your jacket only comes down to your hips, your legs will be COLD in your jeans. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, as bad as the winters are in western mass (and last year's was pretty mild compared to the two before that), they're no worse than Chicago or Minneapolis. And after spending a few days in Burlington, VT in January, I'd have to say that's the WORST.</p>