How do you feel about cold weather?

My Complicated Relationship with Cold Weather

People often ask me, “Do you like cold weather?”

My answer is simple: Absolutely… just not in Alabama.

Before my fellow Alabamians clutch their bread and milk, hear me out.

I love cold weather. I love snow. I love the way sound carries across a fresh blanket of white. There’s something magical about stepping outside and hearing that peaceful hush that only snow can create—until someone in Alabama hears the forecast mention “possible flurries” and sprints to the grocery store like we’re preparing to survive a month in the Arctic.

Because in Alabama, if there is even a slight chance of snow, people lose their minds.

The forecast says, “A dusting possible.”

And suddenly:

• Every loaf of bread disappears.
• The milk aisle is emptier than a football stadium after a loss.
• Schools close for three days.
• Drivers forget what steering wheels are for.
• Pickup trucks start sliding sideways down hills at approximately two miles per hour.

Most of the time, we wake up to wet grass and 34 degrees.

That’s it.

Meanwhile, out West—where I truly fell in love with winter—people know exactly what they’re doing.

In Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, California, Canada, and other places my family and friends have explored together, snow is just part of life. The roads are cleared. The power stays on. Drivers actually know how to drive in winter weather. Nobody empties the grocery store in preparation for “the big one.”

They simply put on their boots and enjoy the season.

And what a season it is.

Cold weather out West means:

• Drinking hot chocolate with a splash of Baileys.
• Skiing down powder-covered mountains.
• Counting the minutes until you reach that mid-mountain lodge for a perfectly warm Hot Toddy.
• Heading back onto the slopes, only to plan your next stop for another one.
• Snowboarding and night skiing under the stars.
• Riding a gondola to the top of a mountain.
• Snow tubing (or “intertubing” if you grew up calling it that) and laughing all the way down.
• Ice skating until your toes go numb.
• Exploring backcountry trails on snowmobiles.
• Taking a horse-drawn carriage through a snowy village.
• Walking through charming mountain towns, ducking into dive bars and cozy restaurants.
• Ending the day beside a roaring fire with a great glass of wine and your cheeks still rosy from the cold.
• Sipping good whiskey by a fireplace or around a fire pit.
• Soaking in a hot tub while snowflakes fall around you.

Those are some of my favorite memories.

Family trips. Friends. Laughter. Frosty mornings. Warm drinks. Mountain views that take your breath away. The thrill of tubing, the wobble of skates on ice, and the joy of one more run before the lifts close. The kind of moments you carry with you forever.

So yes, I love cold weather.

I love the snow.
I love the adventure.
I love the quiet.
I love the memories.
And I love how a cold day can bring people together around a fire, a glass of wine, and stories that get better every year.

I just prefer my winter with mountain views, dependable electricity, and drivers who understand that ice is not the time to test your brakes.

And if Alabama gets snow?

I’ll be at home with my bread, my milk, and enough bourbon to survive our annual two-inch Snowmageddon. 🤪❄️🥃🍷🛷⛸️