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We have been in New York City for roughly two months, and adjusting to the cold has been a real challenge. Having spent the past few years in much milder climates—especially two years in Southern California—we may never fully recover from that warmth.
Whether you are visiting or relocating to NYC, we have assembled a practical survival guide for winter in New York, including what to wear on those bitterly cold January and February days.
WHAT WE COVER [ Click Links to Skip Ahead ]
- Dressing Like a Local: NYC Winter Style Guide
- New York Winter Essentials + Winter Packing List
- Just How Cold Is New York City in Winter?
- Snowfall in NYC: What to Expect
- 15 Ways to Keep Your Apartment Cozy and Warm
DRESSING LIKE A LOCAL: NYC WINTER STYLE GUIDE
We own warm outdoor gear for hiking and snowboarding in cold places like Patagonia and Iceland, but nothing suited for everyday city life in NYC. Several people asked where we were from because our bright red jackets made us stand out. Here are a few basic rules to dress like a New Yorker while still staying warm.
- Umbrellas Are a Must – In Portland, few people used umbrellas; they simply wore rain jackets and braved the wet weather. Here, nearly everyone carries one. Do not bring or buy an expensive umbrella—strong gusts will snap it quickly. I prefer clear umbrellas so I can see where I am walking, though many locals opt for black ones.
- Color Palette – The city leans heavily toward neutral tones. Walk the streets and you will see a sea of black, especially in winter. To blend in, choose black, dark gray, and other muted colors. Or you may prefer to stand out—this is a place where you can wear almost anything and no one will blink.
- Invest in a Long Coat – Your winter jacket or coat should be warm, windproof, and cover as much of your body as possible. Bonus if it is also waterproof. We both ended up with parkas that cover our rear and part of our legs. Having your bottom covered makes a huge difference! Some people wear coats that reach their ankles, and sometimes I envy them.
- Protect All Extremities: Always wear a hat, gloves, scarf, and occasionally a balaclava. Stock up on gloves! NYC seems to swallow gloves endlessly. We have not lost ours yet, but everyone we have spoken to goes through them quickly. If you own multiple jackets, keep a pair of gloves in each one so you never forget them when heading out.
- Keep Track of Your Gear – You will be shedding layers every time you enter a building, so designate a consistent spot for your loose items.
- No Love for Slush – We have already seen two snowfalls, and more are on the way. Snow is magical for the first few hours, but then it turns into dirty gray slush. You will encounter huge puddles or black ice, and the charm quickly fades. Maybe I walk oddly, but I always manage to splash mud onto my pants.
- Always Wear or Carry Layers – Most buildings and restaurants keep interiors warm. Dress in layers so you can remove them when indoors. Layering also traps warm air and keeps you warmer. We apply the same hiking rules to city wear: a synthetic sweat-wicking base, an insulating midlayer, and an outer shell for snow, rain, or wind.
- Footwear Matters – Remember that nasty slush? You do not want to step in it and have wet feet for the rest of the day. Waterproof shoes are essential, and high boots help retain warmth.
WINTER WARDROBE ESSENTIALS FOR NYC
Here is what our typical outfit of the day (OOTD) looks like. Already missing our pop of red?
Disclaimer: We received the 3-in-1 parkas from Patagonia to feature in this post.
Esther’s New York Winter Essentials + Winter Packing List
- Winter Outerwear: I use a 3-in-1 Parka that performs well and looks stylish in the city. It can be worn three different ways, but I usually keep the insulating and shell layers zipped together for maximum warmth because I get cold easily.
- Midlayer: I typically wear either my Polartec fleece or Sharmbaa fleece, depending on how active I plan to be.
- Base Layer (top): I prefer the men’s version over the women’s.
- Base Layer (bottoms): I mostly wear these from Uniqlo, but I rotate a few pairs. I also have Omniheat ones from Columbia, but apparently I do not generate enough heat to reflect back. They are pricier, so next I will try these Polartec from Mountain Hardwear.
- Jeans: These Boulder Denim jeans are great for everyday wear and also excellent for climbing (use code: LOCALADVENTURER for 15% off).
- Boots: I love these waterproof Danners, but if I expect deep snow, I switch to these snow boots.
- Socks: Heavyweight socks work best for me.
- Gloves: I am all about Polartec after our trip to Torres del Paine.
- Beanie: Omniheat wins here—my head apparently generates heat just fine.
- Balaclava: I wear it on the most frigid days to cover more of my face.
- Cute Scarf / Wrap: I layer a scarf over my balaclava for both style and function. I love multipurpose items, and this scarf transforms into a cardigan, shirt, and more.
- Hand Warmers: Essential for really cold days.
- Wet wipes or baby wipes to clean off the mud that splashes onto you, especially on slushy days.
Jacob’s New York Winter Essentials + Winter Packing List
- Winter Outerwear: We both have the same 3-in-1 parkas, but the women’s version is longer and reaches just above the knees.
- Midlayer: I like the Columbia Half Zip Fleece. It is warm and covers part of my neck on very cold days.
- Base Layer: I always wear these performance tees.
- Base Layer (bottoms): Uniqlo Heattech tights work well for me. I own a few regular Heattech and a couple of extra-warm ones. On extreme cold days, I may double up.
- Jeans: Also from Boulder Denim because they perform well and are comfortable (use code: LOCALADVENTURER for 15% off). I also like these comfy Kit Culture Pants.
- Shoes: These Danner Boots are amazing at keeping my feet dry and comfortable.
- Socks: I have both midweight and heavyweight socks for cold days.
- Gloves: We both love these Polartec gloves.
- Beanie: From Mountain Hardwear—you barely notice the wind. The salesman told me he was in 60 mph winds and could not feel it. I will let you know if I ever encounter 60 mph winds. Alternatively, if you do not mind being the person wearing the hat with earflaps.
- Scarf / Neck Warmer: This one is incredibly warm, but it can be hard to breathe when your face is covered.
- Backpack: Having a backpack while walking around town keeps your hands free. If you need less space, this sling works great too. Both are perfect for cameras and other gear.
JUST HOW COLD IS NEW YORK CITY IN WINTER?
We have visited Patagonia in winter and Iceland in February, yet NYC feels even colder. When I started looking into the weather data, the numbers did not add up.
Why does NYC feel so cold?
I enjoyed reading this New York Times article about a native Icelander describing the cold in New York. For those who do not want to read it, a key reason is that the cold lasts a long time. It is one thing to know you will be very cold for a few days, but when those days stretch into weeks and months, the chill in your bones never seems to leave.
Additionally, you spend a lot of time outdoors here. You can take a cab everywhere, but that quickly becomes too slow or too expensive, so you end up walking or taking the subway. And do not get me started on the wind. The buildings create wind tunnels that blast cold air straight through you. Just this past week, I walked three to four blocks daily running errands, and by the time I reached my destination, my face, lips, and fingers felt like they might fall off. I really miss having a car now.
Here are the temperature averages during winter:
Remember, those are only averages. As I write this, it is snowing heavily outside at a 45-degree angle, meaning the wind makes it feel even colder. Also, check out the upcoming week’s forecast…
SNOWFALL IN NYC: WHAT TO EXPECT
NYC does not actually get an enormous amount of snow. Snow days are magical, but soon after, it turns into gray slush. Then when temperatures drop really low, the snow becomes black ice, and everything becomes extremely slippery.
We experienced snow twice within our first month here. A couple of weeks ago, we had a 24-hour period of continuous snow, resulting in one of the largest snowfalls in a long time. People keep telling us this was the worst year to move here and that they have never seen so many snow days with temperatures in the low 30s. Bad weather seems to follow us everywhere.
15 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR APARTMENT COZY AND WARM
Lately, I have been obsessed with anything that helps keep us warm. Even though we keep the thermostat set higher during winter, I work next to a giant window that keeps this side of our apartment cold. Here are some tips to stay as warm as possible at home.
- Wear more layers even indoors. I am covered head to toe in fleece as I write this. I also always have a blanket draped over my chair in case I need it.
- These down booties have been a lifesaver because my feet are always cold. We used them while hiking in Patagonia, but now I wear them around the apartment daily. I may go further and get these heated slippers, or this pad for under the desk, or this for a massage too. Is the massage too much? Which one should I choose?
- Electric blanket or heating pad to warm up the bed right before sleep.
- Let sunlight in during the day. Even with our large windows, the sun is still warmer than the cold coming through the glass.
- Hang insulating shades or curtains on windows to reduce heat loss. These thermal insulated blackout curtains work well for most homes in winter. Unfortunately, we have very high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows.
- Hang blankets on cold walls or windows for extra insulation on extremely cold days. Right now, we have a blanket rigged up on our floor-to-ceiling windows after sunset. It does not look great, so I am searching for alternative solutions that work with our extra-high ceilings.
- Carpets and rugs help insulate wood floors and reduce heat loss; they also feel less cold on bare feet.
- Clear shower curtains let sunlight in while providing an insulating layer.
- Use candles. I keep one burning on my desk at all times, and it surprisingly emits a decent amount of heat.
- Bake more often, and leave the oven door open after you finish to capture all the heat. I always have room for more brownies.
- Line the inside of surrounding walls with radiator foil. It reflects heat back toward you.
- Reverse your ceiling fans so they blow hot air downward.
- Close doors to keep heat in the rooms you use most often.
- Space heaters are a great way to add warmth to your rooms. You can choose a directional one, a circular one, or a heater that doubles as a fan in summer. Remember that space heaters can be a fire hazard.
- Have a pet on your lap! Luckily, both our cats are lap cats, so I always have a little personal heater on my lap.
Have you used any of these hacks to stay warm? Do you plan tropical getaways during winter? Do you avoid traveling to cities during their winter season?
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“Discovery consists not of seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes” – M. Proust
ESTHER + JACOB
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 50 travel blogs worldwide. They believe adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city each year and are currently based in NYC.
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Originally published on Local Adventurer – Travel Adventures in Portland + Worldwide
