The heatwave this past December in New York City almost had us fooled into believing that winter just won't be a thing this year.
But we all knew that sooner or later, temperatures would drop, snow would fall, and we'd all be longing for those distant summer days when the humidity made our thighs stick to the subway seats.
And when the relentless Northeastern winter finally arrives, the city inevitably turns into an icy, windy, treacherous death trap, making your daily commute even more stressful than it already is.
Of course, even if we should "expect" a warmer February and a shorter winter, that doesn't mean we should take our chances and actually trust NYC weather.
It's important to be prepared. Here are a few of the essentials for battling winter in NYC.
1. Down coat
This is a New Yorker's best weapon when it comes to defending ourselves against the arctic wind tunnel that the city streets become during the winter months.
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You just need one.
2. Touch screen accessible gloves
What did we do in the age before touch screen gloves? Wait until we were indoors to respond to texts? Preposterous.
Luckily, you can find these gloves practically everywhere now.
They come in extremely handy as you're running around the city in wintertime, especially when you really need to grab a video of the crazy dude dancing in the middle of the street for your Snapchat story.
3. Poncho weather app
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You can only prepare so much for the weather. It can change real fast. In one moment you're taking off your down coat, and in the next your scrambling for those gloves before your hand falls off. Winter in NYC's got no chill. Zero. Chill.
With the Poncho weather app you get clever little weather updates throughout the day. You can use it to set an alarm in the morning, and it'll wake you up with an adorable little ditty that gives you a lovely glimpse of the day's weather.
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You can even customize the updates so you know how long you're going to have to wait around in the hellish sewer dungeons of Penn Station because your train's running late as always, and it'll let you know if you need to grab an umbrella before you trudge down into the abyss.
Download the Poncho weather app here.
,4. Hand sanitizer
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God only knows what kinds of bacteria are festering on subway poles and seats when it's NOT flu season, so now that winter is in full swing, you'd better take even more precautions.
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Keeping some hand sanitizer with you at all times is never a bad idea. Your immune system will thank you.
5. Static guard
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One of the major negatives about winter is that every interaction you have with any kinf of fabric immediately turns you into a walking electrical current. You'll know this if you've ever hastily taken off a hoodie and then attempted to flick on a light switch. The result is not pleasant.
Static guard is a godsend, and eliminates this problem once and for all.
6. Water proof boots
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There's nothing worse than stepping into a seemingly harmless puddle, only to discover it is actually a foot-deep pool of icy slush that is now pouring into your shoes.
Your day is now ruined, you're convinced you have pneumonia, and it's only 8 a.m.
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So, investing in some heavy duty boots, or at least a pair of rain boots, is definitely worthwhile.
This is also one of those situations where style takes a backseat to comfort and practicality - the bulkier and uglier the boot, the better is probably is. Go hard, or go home.
Check out 7 Essentials to Surviving a Miserably Snowed In NYC Weekend.
[Feature Image Courtesy New York Magazine]