Siberia in Febuary
 

My sister is going to a conference in Siberia in mid-febuary, does anyone have any recomendations on what to bring, how to deal with the cold, etc...?

Is this a joke?

Just out of curiosity, where in Siberia? And in what field are people masochistic enough to schedule a conference in Siberia in the dead of winter?

Having survived several winters in Novosibirsk when I was a kid, I haven't been back since 1988, and the thought of snow from (at the latest) "Revolution Day" (November 7) to "Workers' Solidarity Day" (May 1) is more than enough to keep me away...

Alex

First off, Siberia is an enormous region that ranges from way above the Arctic Circle to the Mongolian border...it really depends on where she'll be as to how extreme the cold is. Assuming she'll be in one of the larger cities like Novosibirsk or Krasnoyarsk, which are farther south, the weather there is a lot like the weather in the central plains states of Canada. Winter's down in the -30C range normally (daytime), but can be colder. A heck of a lot of cold-weather clothing is absolutely essential. Most definitely, she should bring a warm hat, warm boots, and warm gloves/mittens in addition to a very warm coat.

In my trips to the region in winter, I've worn Sorel boots (super warm), fashionably paired with my long shearling coat, a huge wool scarf, and a fur hat. Russian women wouldn't be caught dead in Sorels, or any boots like them, but there's a lot of difference between me and a Russian woman. I pick warmth over style in such situations.

Can we get more details about city, itinerary, etc?

The Russians tend to overheat their buildings during the winter. She would be well advised to keep this in mind and dress in many layers that can be shed once inside.

The Russian-style fur hat is nice when it's very cold. Plus, you can let down the flaps to cover the ears well. I would take mittens, not gloves, along with a real overcoat, rather than a normal ski jacket.

Hope she enjoys the trip. Russia is a wonderful country to go to, and winter, while cold, is probably not nearly as cold as people think. Right now, it looks like the highs in Novosibirsk are ranging from -10 to 0 degrees Farenheit, with lows around -25 to -15. I don't know what the normal range is. Lots of snow though.