Weather/Clothing question

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
1

<p>I hope some of the instate students can give the oos kids a hand here. What sort of winters can be expected in Chapel Hill? I hear snow is possible but not always a given....but when can we expect it to be cold enough for winter clothes? Do students invest in parkas and/or all weather type footwear or is that overkill? My husband is a Colorado School of Mines alum and I worked in Admissions there at Mines as well. Hiking boots and parkas were a necessity in Golden, but I have the feeling the same is not so in Chapel Hill. I also wonder if winter gear is not something parents ship to their kids later in the semester.</p>

<p>I'd love to hear everyone's idea of what is absolutely indispensible with regard to winter clothing.</p>

2

<p>I moved to NC about 10 years ago and haven't had the parka out of the closet. Temps in the thirties are considered cold here---so regular jackets are fine except for those people who move up here from Florida:). My son is in school in Winston and just wore hoodies and light weight jackets all winter. If it snows, it is the rare year that it stays on the ground more than a day. Of course if he is going to do more outside than just walk between classes, he might need heavier clothing, such as going to the mountains to ski, etc.</p>

3

<p>i am moving here from florida....</p>

<p>THIRTY?!?!?!</p>

<p>i'm so excited!</p>

4

<p>It's pretty warm all year, but there are still seasons. I've definitely worn a winter coat at times, but usually a sweater or jacket is okay, especially if you're acclimated to colder weather. Recently we've had pretty mild winters. I'd say you should send your son his parka in December or so.</p>

<p>Overall, weather in Chapel Hill is beautiful and the sun shines in the Carolina blue sky most of the year :)</p>

5

<p>My tour guide said that it snowed an average of one day per year. I don't think we have anything to worry about. I get the impression that NC's weather is milder and much less random than Houston's. I can't wait.</p>

6

<p>Coming from South Dakota, that weather sounds absolutely awesome.</p>

7

<p>ldmom06</p>

<p>Just remember that there is decent skiing and snowboarding in the Boone/Banner Elk part of the Appalachian mountains (about three hours from Chapel Hill) and its only two hours to Wilmington/Wrightsville beach on the coast. Send the parka and a bathing suit.</p>

8

<p>Sounds absolutely wonderful. My d said one of the deciding factors for her in selecting Carolina was FOUR real seasons! Coming from Houston, we are pretty much denied when it comes to beautiful Fall and Spring weather. (It is the first of June and here in Houston, we are already looking at a week of forecasted highs in the mid 90s and lows in the 70s with sweltering humidity as a nice little bonus prize.)</p>

9

<p>you can never be too careful, though. especially if your student is placed in a south campus dorm, the walk to class seems extra long if it is cold and rainy outside. while no snow stuck to the ground while i was there, there was definitely ice at times. also, weather can sometimes be very random (someone once told me it was due to chapel hill's position relative to the mountains).</p>

<p>but rest assured, there is nothing more entertaining than being a student from a colder climate, watching all these southerners freak out over a little chilly weather :)</p>

10

<p>I'd say a heavy parka is overkill, I live in Winston and I'm fine with a regular coat or jacket for 99% of the time. I would assume the weather is even milder in Chapel Hill, its about 80-100 miles east of here. The coldest I've ever seen the weather get here is down into the single digits at night during December/January but usually only for a few nights a year at most and during the day even with snow on the ground it usually hovers around 30 during the coldest days of the year. The only reason I own heavy winter clothing is to go skiing.</p>

11

<p>We live in Charlotte, which is south of Chapel Hill but our weather is very similar. .My D ( going to Carolina in the fall) wears a jacket and flip flops most of the time but we do have our share of cold. To me, Jan. and Feb. are the worst but then again I’ve slept with my windows open in Jan. and worn a heavy coat in Nov. My D usually wears flip flops. When it gets pretty cold she wears an insulated parka ( not the big bulky type) scarf and gloves. She also wears those Ughs (sp?) a lot in the winter but I’m sure they’ll be out of style this year so it’ll be on to the next fad! If we get snow it is usually only measurable once a year. This year we had none and few years ago we had a good bit in Feb. or March. I think one of the worst snows was a number of years ago during the final 4 game here in Charlotte. Yes, that was in April! It’s unpredictable and every season usually throws us a few surprises. Having a decent jacket and wearing some layers underneath should get her through most of the winter. Our humidity will be in full bloom in Aug. which can be difficult for those not use to it, especially if the dorm has no AC. Hope this helps. Let me know if I can provide anymore info.</p>

12

<p>My son has used his heavy weight zip front fleece (Northface Denali) as a winter jacket for two years and never said he needed more. I have seen lots of them on campus when we visit so it must be one of the more popluar choices. On colder days he layers with a sweater, long sleeve shirt etc but never needed anything close to a true parka or heavy winter jacket. For someone who is really cold natured, you can purchase a zip over lined nylon shell for the Denali to make it even warmer. He hasn't ever seen the need for one except for when we visit family up north for the holidays.</p>

<p>He has several rain jackets (breatheable is a good choice here) that fold into their own pockets and fit nicely in his back pack as well as light and mid-weight fleece jackets/tops that he wears at other times. There have been a few days he has said it was "pretty cold" and needed his gloves and hat but they seem to be more the exception than rule. It may also be exacerbated by the fact that he rides his bike to classes rather than take the busses. I know that his trips back to Dallas for Thanksgiving have usually been the first time he has worn closed toe shoes (except for dress occasions) instead of flip flops. </p>

<p>He has some wool sweaters that he wears in the winter with cords, chinos or jeans when it is cooler but as CarolinaMom said earlier, flip flops (and shorts) are worn for most of the year so it can't get that cold too often.</p>

<p>A good breatheable rain jacket that folds into itself (from a place like REI or any reputable outdoor clothing company) is a good addition and a folding umbrella (also for the backpack) is a must.</p>

13

<p>Having lived in NC all my life, in the east and west I can say that the weather is great. If you're coming from the north you'll realize two things:</p>

<p>1) we totally overreact about snow
2) the term cold is quite relative</p>

14

<p>You are so right. I agree with point 1 and 2!</p>

15

<p>I've lived in NC for all of my life, and my winter outfit never changes: jeans and a hoodie. It just works.</p>

<p>Be prepared for The End Of The World - snow. I swear, an inch of snow will shut all the roads down and make us run as fast as we can to the nearest grocery store to stock up. By the time we make it through the long lines at the checkout, the snow has melted.</p>

16

<p>I remember when I first moved to NC I had one child in elementary school. I was out doing errands and snow flurries started. Well I finished up errands, drove home to find my first grader sitting on the porch. They had let school out early. When I called the county office the next day to question sending kids home on bus early for FLURRIES I was told it was my responsibility to listen to radio when there was inclement weather. So the term inclement weather is quite relative also:)!</p>

17

<p>Actually, it sounds like we get the same amount of snow annually here in Houston (home of the world's freakiest weather). But here in Houston, we don't close down...we go running around thinking we are snow experts, crashing into everything and each other. :-)</p>

<p>(Also, because I'm a Native Texan who lived for several years in Colorado, I know just about every 'dumb Texan on a ski-lift' joke there is...lol!)</p>

18

<p>I grew up in Western North Carolina, where there is considerably more snow and cold than Chapel Hill, but have lived in and around Chapel Hill for the better part of 20 years now. </p>

<p>As stated throughout, winters in Chapel Hill are relatively mild by northern standards. I'd also warn you, though, it will seem like Minnesota compared to Houston. I went to school with friends from Houston and New Orleans. They froze all winter. </p>

<p>One good snow a year is about average, but I've seen years with no snow, and years with several good snows. </p>

<p>One other thing to remember is that when it does snow, there's generally a pretty good supply of moisture to make for some occasional hefty snows. Storms in 2000 and 2002 each produced over a foot of snow. </p>

<p>Also, ice storms are almost guaranteed. </p>

<p>Even though it doesn't snow all that often in Chapel Hill, it rains a lot, year round. So just saying wear a hoody or a fleece won't fly if your student has to walk at all, which is a virtual certainty. </p>

<p>The perfect combination is to have a gortex shell plus a fleece that will zip in when needed, or which can be worn outside of the shell. </p>

<p>Hats and scarves aren't necessary if you have a hood on the shell, but seem to be in fashion, so throw one of each in. </p>

<p>I'd also suggest some sort of boots - not necessarily insulated, but just something to keep the feet dry in the fall and winter. I'm WAY out of style, though, so wouldn't even begin to recommend something.</p>

19

<p>August is supposedly sweltering hot... one of the harder months to get through... the triangle area in general is very humid!</p>